Semi-oxidized Signal Theory: A Unified Framework Linking Metabolic Intermediates, Biological Signals, and Drug Design

This work extends the Semi-oxidized Signal Theory by proposing a stepwise functionalization pathway from carbohydrates to proteins. Carbohydrates, as primary fuel molecules composed of CH and COH units, give rise to amino acids when functionalized with amino and carboxyl groups. These amino acids polymerize into peptides and fold into proteins, which serve as catalysts, structural frameworks, and signaling agents. Thus, proteins can be reinterpreted as “functionalized fuel derivatives,” illustrating how life transforms energy substrates into information-rich macromolecules. This framework integrates metabolism, evolution, and pharmacology under a unified view of fuel-to-function transformation.