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. 2006 Oct 29;361(1474):1777-86; discussion 1786.
doi: 10.1098/rstb.2006.1903.

Montmorillonite-catalysed formation of RNA oligomers: the possible role of catalysis in the origins of life

James P Ferris  1
Affiliations

Montmorillonite-catalysed formation of RNA oligomers: the possible role of catalysis in the origins of life

James P Ferris. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. .

Abstract

Large deposits of montmorillonite are present on the Earth today and it is believed to have been present at the time of the origin of life and has recently been detected on Mars. It is formed by aqueous weathering of volcanic ash. It catalyses the formation of oligomers of RNA that contain monomer units from 2 to 30-50. Oligomers of this length are formed because this catalyst controls the structure of the oligomers formed and does not generate all possible isomers. Evidence of sequence-, regio- and homochiral selectivity in these oligomers has been obtained. Postulates on the role of selective versus specific catalysts on the origins of life are discussed. An introduction to the origin of life is given with an emphasis on reaction conditions based on the recent data obtained from zircons 4.0-4.5Ga.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Synthetic pathways for the formation of purines from dilute HCN.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Pyrimidines formed from 0.1 M HCN.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ribose formation in the presence of borate.
Figure 4
Figure 4
PNA, (a) the monomer and (b) the polymer.
Figure 5
Figure 5
A unit of the montmorillonite structure. A portion of another montmorillonite sheet is at the top of the diagram.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) A carbodiimide condensing agent; (b) RNA monomer activated with imidazole; (c) a monomer activated with 1-methyladenine; (d) and a monomer activated with 2-methyl imidazole.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Elongation of a primer by the daily addition of the activated monomer ImpA for 12–14 days.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Phosphodiester bonds, (a) 3′,5′-bond and (b) 2′,5′-bond.
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