Prebiotic Peptide Synthesis via the Lossen Rearrangement

In 1952, Stanley Miller conducted the first experiments that demonstrated the synthesis of organic molecules, including some components present in known living organisms, from inorganic constituents in a prebiotically plausible scenario. Ever since then, several studies reported the prebiotic synthesis of amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, nucleotides and core metabolites found in living systems. More recently, researchers started to focus on life’s chemical processes rather than just making their constitutive components. Within this framework, we propose the study of novel chemical networks composed of simple molecules potentially present on the early Earth. These latter will be programmed to evolve toward increased complexity through autocatalytic cycles and interconnected prebiotic reaction pathways, with the aim to mimic some properties of living systems.

The PhD student will design and study dynamic molecular networks to provide new clues to the emergence of life on Earth. In particular, he will investigate autocatalytic processes in aqueous media programmed to produce building blocks of life and their corresponding polymers. He will be responsible of the preparation and full characterisation of organic precursors of the chemical networks. The PhD student will also synthesis all the key intermediates that will be necessary to elucidate the behaviour of the chemical networks. Moreover, he will be involved in the design and synthesis of enzyme-like systems based on interlocked architectures such as catenanes.

The Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers (IC2MP) is a multidisciplinary joint research unit (UMR) of the University of Poitiers and the CNRS (INC and INSU) in the fields of chemistry and geosciences of the surface (UMR 7285). Created in 2012, it results from the merger of four Unités Mixtes de Recherche (LACCO, LCME, SRSN and HYDRASA) historically present in Poitiers for more than 40 years. It has about 260 members (about 100 researchers and research teachers and about 50 permanent technical staff, and around 110 non-permanent staff, including 90 PhD students).

The candidate will work with Professor Sébastien Papot's research team, which focuses on using molecular programming to understand, manipulate, and minimize biological processes.

The candidate must have a Master 2 in either organic chemistry or chemical biology.

Good skills and knowledge are recommended for:

- Multistep synthesis of organic compounds

- Full characterisation of organic compounds (NMR, SM, IR…)

- Analysis of dynamic molecular network (UPLC-HRMS)

- Fundamental interest in prebiotic chemistry

- Editorial quality, ability to publish and promote research work

- Aptitude for teamwork and supervision of trainees

- Good english level