Template-Directed Synthesis Using the Heterogeneous Templates Produced by Montmorillonite Catalysis. A Possible Bridge Between the Prebiotic and RNA Worlds

The synthesis of oligoguanylates [oligo(G)s] is catalyzed by a template of oligocytidylates [oligo(C)s] containing 2‘,5‘- and 3‘,5‘-linked phosphodiester bonds with and without incorporated C5‘ppC groupings. An oligo(C) template containing exclusively 2‘,5‘-phosphodiester bonds also serves as a temp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Chemical Society 1997-08, Vol.119 (31), p.7197-7201
Main Authors: Ertem, Gözen, Ferris, James P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum Silicates - chemistry
Bentonite - chemistry
Biopolymers - chemistry
Catalysis
Clay
Cytidine - analogs & derivatives
Cytidine - chemistry
Directed Molecular Evolution
Evolution, Molecular
Exobiology
Guanine Nucleotides - chemical synthesis
Inosine Nucleotides - chemistry
Oligonucleotides - chemistry
Oligoribonucleotides - chemical synthesis
Origin of Life
RNA - chemical synthesis
RNA - chemistry
Space life sciences
Templates, Genetic
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Summary:The synthesis of oligoguanylates [oligo(G)s] is catalyzed by a template of oligocytidylates [oligo(C)s] containing 2‘,5‘- and 3‘,5‘-linked phosphodiester bonds with and without incorporated C5‘ppC groupings. An oligo(C) template containing exclusively 2‘,5‘-phosphodiester bonds also serves as a template for the synthesis of complementary oligo(G)s. The oligo(C) template was prepared by the condensation of the 5‘-phosphorimidazolide of cytidine on montmorillonite clay. These studies establish that RNA oligomers prepared by mineral catalysis, or other routes on the primitive earth, did not have to be exclusively 3‘,5‘-linked to catalyze template-directed synthesis, since oligo(C)s containing a variety of linkage isomers serve as templates for the formation of complementary oligo(G)s. These findings support the postulate that origin of the RNA world was initiated by the RNA oligomers produced by polymerization of activated monomers formed by prebiotic processes.
ISSN:0002-7863
1520-5126
DOI:10.1021/ja970422h