Oligonucleotide formation catalyzed by mononucleotide matrices (original) (raw)

Summary

Pb2+-containing precipitates of mononucleotides form matrices which catalyze the self-condensation of nucleotide 5′-phosphorimidazolides and their condensation with nucleosides. The reactions exhibit base-pairing specificity between matrix nucleotide and substrate, and usually follow the Watson-Crick pairing rules. Although purine polynucleotides do not facilitate the oligomerization of pyrimidine nucleotide monomers in solution, it is interesting that purine-containing matrices do catalyze such a reaction. The significance of the results in the context of the prebiotic evolution of polynucleotides is discussed.

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Abbreviations

Im:

imidazole

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

A:

adenosine

C:

cytidine

CMe:

5-methylcytidine

Cara:

9-_β_-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine

G:

guanosine

I:

inosine

U:

uridine

Uara:

9-_β_-D-arabinofuranosyluracil

dA:

2′-deoxyadenosine

dC:

2′-deoxycytidine

dG:

2′-deoxyguanosine

T:

thymidine

pN (N = A, C, G, I, U, Uara):

ribonucleoside 5′-phosphate

pdN (dN = dA, dC, dG, T):

deoxynucleoside 5′-phosphate

Np:

ribonucleoside 2′(3′)-phosphate

N>p:

nucleoside cyclic 2′,3′-phosphate

ImpN:

5′-phosphorimidazolide of a nucleoside N

NppN:

P1,P2-dinucleoside 5′-diphosphate

pNp:

5′-phosphonucleoside 2′(3′)-phosphate

N(pN)n (n = 1, 2⋯):

oligonucleotide terminated by a free 5′-OH group

(pN)n (n = 2. 3⋯):

oligomers of pN

(Np)n (n = 2, 3⋯):

oligomers of Np

p2N:

nucleoside 5′-diphosphate

p3N:

nucleoside 5′-triphosphate

poly(N):

polynucleotide derived from N. (Pb-pN) or (Np-Pb), matrix formed by precipitation of a nucleoside pN or Np, respectively, with Pb2+ ions

e.g.\(\mathop U\limits^* \) 3pU:

[2-14 C]-uridylyl-[3′ → 5′]-uridine

OD:

optical density units measured at 259 nm

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 92138, San Diego, California, USA
    R. Lohrmann

Additional information

The numbers given as superscripts between the symbols of a nucleoside and a phosphate indicate the type of internucleotide linkage e.g. A2pA is adenylyl-[2′ → 5′]-adenosine; a star above the symbol for a nucleoside indicates the position of a radioactive label

The numbers given as superscripts between the symbols of a nucleoside and a phosphate indicate the type of internucleotide linkage e.g. A2pA is adenylyl-[2′ → 5′]-adenosine; a star above the symbol for a nucleoside indicates the position of a radioactive label

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Lohrmann, R. Oligonucleotide formation catalyzed by mononucleotide matrices.J Mol Evol 18, 185–195 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01733045

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