Ancient Mo and W in Life: Foundational Biochemistry from 3.7 Billion Years Ago
A new study traces the deep-time origins of molybdenum and tungsten use in biology, reconstructing when Mo- and W-dependent enzymes, their cofactor biosynthesis, and transport systems first appeared. Molecular dating places Mo/W utilization back to the early Archaean (~3.7–3.1 billion years ago), suggesting that Mo-based biochemistry was already shaping early microbial evolution despite purportedly limited Mo availability in ancient oceans and highlighting the ancient link between Mo cofactors and nitrogenase-driven nitrogen fixation.