Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1976 Aug;7(3):197-24.
doi: 10.1007/BF00926938.

Prebiotic condensation reactions in an aqueous medium: a review of condensing agents

J Hulshof, C Ponnamperuma

Prebiotic condensation reactions in an aqueous medium: a review of condensing agents

J Hulshof et al. Orig Life. 1976 Aug.

Abstract

Biopolymers are formed by dehydration-type condensation reactions. In aqueous solutions dehydration reactions are very unlikely to happen spontaneously. However, coupling of dehydration-condensation to the hydrolysis of condensing agents could facilitate the synthesis of biopolymers in an aqueous solution. The literature shows that the peptides, nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides can be formed in this way. A careful study of the literature pertaining to prebiotic condensing agents was conducted in order to determine the most plausible prebiotic synthesis of biopolymers. The condensing agents taken into consideration are cyanamide, carbodimide, dicyanamide, dicyandiamide, hydrogen-cyanide-tetramer, cyanogen and the linear- and cyclic polyphosphates. From both a chemical as well as biological point of view the polyphosphates appear to be the most plausible general prebiotic condensing agent.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. J Mol Evol. 1972 Dec 29;2(1):1-9 - PubMed
    1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1965 Sep;54(3):664-7 - PubMed
    1. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1957 Aug 30;69(2):260-75 - PubMed
    1. Space Life Sci. 1971 Aug;3(1):54-62 - PubMed
    1. Science. 1965 Jan 8;147(3654):149-50 - PubMed