Cover Feature: Acyl Phosphate‐Driven Acylation in Biology, Chemistry, and in Between

Key Points

• The review aims to explore the significance of acyl phosphates as acyl donors in biological and chemical contexts.
• Overview of acyl phosphates and their energy in acyl transfer
• Discussion on their role in chemical biology and systems chemistry
• Examination of supramolecular organization linked to acyl reactions
• Acyl phosphates are identified as the highest energy acyl donor in biological contexts.
• Potential applications of acyl phosphates in prebiotic chemistry are discussed.
• New roles for phosphates beyond traditional biological functions are suggested.