1
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Deckel Y, Brown JJ, Senthilkumar T, Fahrenbach AC. Dehydration promotes phosphoramidate-linked amino acidyl and peptido adenosine conjugates. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024. [PMID: 39228333 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc03602f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Cyclic nucleoside phosphates have been shown previously to be adequately activated to oligomerise under dry conditions. Herein, it is demonstrated that 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (3',5'-cAMP) and glycine when subjected to dehydration under alkaline conditions form phosphoramidate-linked conjugates. Solid-state reaction mechanisms investigated by DFT suggest why the reaction does not occur efficiently in the aqueous phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaam Deckel
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Joshua J Brown
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Environment Research Unit, CSIRO, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT, 2601 Advanced Engineering Biology Future Science Platform, Black Mountain, Canberra, ACT 2601 Revolutionary Energy Storage Systems Future Science Platform, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Tejaswi Senthilkumar
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Albert C Fahrenbach
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia
- Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- UNSW RNA Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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2
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Verma A, Mateo T, Quintero Botero J, Mohankumar N, Fraccia TP. Microfluidics-Based Drying-Wetting Cycles to Investigate Phase Transitions of Small Molecules Solutions. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:472. [PMID: 38672743 PMCID: PMC11050796 DOI: 10.3390/life14040472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Drying-wetting cycles play a crucial role in the investigation of the origin of life as processes that both concentrate and induce the supramolecular assembly and polymerization of biomolecular building blocks, such as nucleotides and amino acids. Here, we test different microfluidic devices to study the dehydration-hydration cycles of the aqueous solutions of small molecules, and to observe, by optical microscopy, the insurgence of phase transitions driven by self-assembly, exploiting water pervaporation through polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). As a testbed, we investigate solutions of the chromonic dye Sunset Yellow (SSY), which self-assembles into face-to-face columnar aggregates and produces nematic and columnar liquid crystal (LC) phases as a function of concentration. We show that the LC temperature-concentration phase diagram of SSY can be obtained with a fair agreement with previous reports, that droplet hydration-dehydration can be reversibly controlled and automated, and that the simultaneous incubation of samples with different final water contents, corresponding to different phases, can be implemented. These methods can be further extended to study the assembly of diverse prebiotically relevant small molecules and to characterize their phase transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Verma
- IPGG, CBI UMR 8231—CNRS—ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Tiphaine Mateo
- IPGG, CBI UMR 8231—CNRS—ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Nishanth Mohankumar
- IPGG, CBI UMR 8231—CNRS—ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Tommaso P. Fraccia
- IPGG, CBI UMR 8231—CNRS—ESPCI Paris, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
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3
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Dagar S, Sarkar S, Rajamani S. Nonenzymatic Template-Directed Primer Extension Using 2'-3' Cyclic Nucleotides Under Wet-Dry Cycles. ORIGINS LIFE EVOL B 2023; 53:43-60. [PMID: 37243884 DOI: 10.1007/s11084-023-09636-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
RNA World Hypothesis is centred around the idea of a period in the early history of life's origin, wherein nonenzymatic oligomerization and replication of RNA resulted in functional ribozymes. Previous studies in this endeavour have demonstrated template-directed primer extension using chemically modified nucleotides and primers. Nonetheless, similar studies that used non-activated nucleotides led to the formation of RNA only with abasic sites. In this study, we report template-directed primer extension with prebiotically relevant cyclic nucleotides, under dehydration-rehydration (DH-RH) cycles occurring at high temperature (90 °C) and alkaline conditions (pH 8). 2'-3' cyclic nucleoside monophosphates (cNMP) resulted in primer extension, while 3'-5' cNMP failed to do so. Intact extension of up to two nucleotide additions was observed with both canonical hydroxy-terminated (OH-primer) and activated amino-terminated (NH2-primer) primers. We demonstrate primer extension reactions using both purine and pyrimidine 2'-3' cNMPs, with higher product yield observed during cAMP additions. Further, the presence of lipid was observed to significantly enhance the extended product in cCMP reactions. In all, our study provides a proof-of-concept for nonenzymatic primer extension of RNA, using intrinsically activated prebiotically relevant cyclic nucleotides as monomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Dagar
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, 411008, India
| | - Susovan Sarkar
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, 411008, India
| | - Sudha Rajamani
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, 411008, India.
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4
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Jerome CA, Kim HJ, Mojzsis SJ, Benner SA, Biondi E. Catalytic Synthesis of Polyribonucleic Acid on Prebiotic Rock Glasses. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:629-636. [PMID: 35588195 PMCID: PMC9233534 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2022.0027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Reported here are experiments that show that ribonucleoside triphosphates are converted to polyribonucleic acid when incubated with rock glasses similar to those likely present 4.3-4.4 billion years ago on the Hadean Earth surface, where they were formed by impacts and volcanism. This polyribonucleic acid averages 100-300 nucleotides in length, with a substantial fraction of 3',-5'-dinucleotide linkages. Chemical analyses, including classical methods that were used to prove the structure of natural RNA, establish a polyribonucleic acid structure for these products. The polyribonucleic acid accumulated and was stable for months, with a synthesis rate of 2 × 10-3 pmoles of triphosphate polymerized each hour per gram of glass (25°C, pH 7.5). These results suggest that polyribonucleotides were available to Hadean environments if triphosphates were. As many proposals are emerging describing how triphosphates might have been made on the Hadean Earth, the process observed here offers an important missing step in models for the prebiotic synthesis of RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig A. Jerome
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Alachua, Florida, USA
| | - Hyo-Joong Kim
- Firebird Biomolecular Sciences LLC, Alachua, Florida, USA
| | - Stephen J. Mojzsis
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Research Center of Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Steven A. Benner
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Alachua, Florida, USA
- Firebird Biomolecular Sciences LLC, Alachua, Florida, USA
| | - Elisa Biondi
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Alachua, Florida, USA
- Firebird Biomolecular Sciences LLC, Alachua, Florida, USA
- Address correspondence to: Elisa Biondi, Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Alachua, FL 32615, USA
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5
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Wunnava S, Dirscherl CF, Výravský J, Kovařík A, Matyášek R, Šponer J, Braun D, Šponer JE. Acid-Catalyzed RNA-Oligomerization from 3',5'-cGMP. Chemistry 2021; 27:17581-17585. [PMID: 34726799 PMCID: PMC9299008 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202103672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The assembly of ancient informational polymers from nucleotide precursors is the central challenge of life's origin on our planet. Among the possible solutions, dry polymerization of 3',5'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (3',5'-cGMP) has been proposed as a candidate to create oligonucleotides of 15-20 units in length. However, the reported sensitivity of the reaction to the presence of cations raised questions of whether this chemistry could be relevant in a geological context. The experiments in this study show that the presence of cations is not restrictive as long as the reaction is conducted in an acidic environment, in contrast to previous reports that suggested optimal conditions at pH 9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreekar Wunnava
- Department of PhysicsNanoSystems Initiative Munich and Center for NanoscienceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenAmalienstrasse 5480799MunichGermany
| | - Christina F. Dirscherl
- Department of PhysicsNanoSystems Initiative Munich and Center for NanoscienceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenAmalienstrasse 5480799MunichGermany
| | - Jakub Výravský
- Tescan Brno s.r.o.Libušina třída 162300BrnoCzech Republic
- Department of Geological SciencesFaculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityKotlářská 261137BrnoCzech Republic
| | - Aleš Kovařík
- Institute of Biophysics Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicKrálovopolská 13561265BrnoCzech Republic
| | - Roman Matyášek
- Institute of Biophysics Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicKrálovopolská 13561265BrnoCzech Republic
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicKrálovopolská 13561265BrnoCzech Republic
| | - Dieter Braun
- Department of PhysicsNanoSystems Initiative Munich and Center for NanoscienceLudwig-Maximilians-Universität MünchenAmalienstrasse 5480799MunichGermany
| | - Judit E. Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicKrálovopolská 13561265BrnoCzech Republic
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6
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Šponer JE, Šponer J, Kovařík A, Šedo O, Zdráhal Z, Costanzo G, Di Mauro E. Questions and Answers Related to the Prebiotic Production of Oligonucleotide Sequences from 3',5' Cyclic Nucleotide Precursors. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:800. [PMID: 34440544 PMCID: PMC8400769 DOI: 10.3390/life11080800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Template-free nonenzymatic polymerization of 3',5' cyclic nucleotides is an emerging topic of the origin of life research. In the last ten years, a number of papers have been published addressing various aspects of this process. These works evoked a vivid discussion among scientists working in the field of prebiotic chemistry. The aim of the current review is to answer the most frequently raised questions related to the detection and characterization of oligomeric products as well as to the geological context of this chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit E. Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (J.Š.); (A.K.)
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (J.Š.); (A.K.)
| | - Aleš Kovařík
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, 61265 Brno, Czech Republic; (J.Š.); (A.K.)
| | - Ondrej Šedo
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; (O.Š.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zbyněk Zdráhal
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; (O.Š.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Giovanna Costanzo
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (E.D.M.)
| | - Ernesto Di Mauro
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.C.); (E.D.M.)
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7
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Šponer JE, Šponer J, Výravský J, Šedo O, Zdráhal Z, Costanzo G, Di Mauro E, Wunnava S, Braun D, Matyášek R, Kovařík A. Nonenzymatic, Template‐Free Polymerization of 3’,5’ Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate on Mineral Surfaces. CHEMSYSTEMSCHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/syst.202100017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Judit E. Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Královopolská 135 61265 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Královopolská 135 61265 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Výravský
- TESCAN Brno, s.r.o. Libušina třída 1 62300 Brno Czech Republic
- Department of Geological Sciences Faculty of Science Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 61137 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Šedo
- Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University Kamenice 5 62500 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Zbyněk Zdráhal
- Central European Institute of Technology Masaryk University Kamenice 5 62500 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Giovanna Costanzo
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR Piazzale A. Moro 5 00185 Rome Italy
| | - Ernesto Di Mauro
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR Piazzale A. Moro 5 00185 Rome Italy
| | - Sreekar Wunnava
- Physics Department Center for Nanoscience Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Amalienstrasse 54 80799 Munich Germany
| | - Dieter Braun
- Physics Department Center for Nanoscience Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Amalienstrasse 54 80799 Munich Germany
| | - Roman Matyášek
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Královopolská 135 61265 Brno Czech Republic
| | - Aleš Kovařík
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Královopolská 135 61265 Brno Czech Republic
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8
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Sustainability and Chaos in the Abiotic Polymerization of 3′,5′ Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate: The Role of Aggregation. CHEMSYSTEMSCHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/syst.202000011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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9
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Dagar S, Sarkar S, Rajamani S. Geochemical influences on nonenzymatic oligomerization of prebiotically relevant cyclic nucleotides. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 26:756-769. [PMID: 32205323 PMCID: PMC7266160 DOI: 10.1261/rna.074302.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The spontaneous emergence of long RNA molecules on the early Earth, a phenomenon central to the RNA World hypothesis, continues to remain an enigma in the field of origins of life. Few studies have looked at the nonenzymatic oligomerization of cyclic mononucleotides under neutral to alkaline conditions, albeit in fully dehydrated state. In this study, we systematically investigated the oligomerization of cyclic nucleotides under prebiotically relevant conditions, wherein starting reactants were subjected to repeated dehydration-rehydration (DH-RH) regimes. DH-RH conditions, a recurring geological theme that was prevalent on prebiotic Earth, are driven by naturally occurring processes including diurnal cycles and tidal pool activity. These conditions have been shown to facilitate uphill oligomerization reactions. The polymerization of 2'-3' and 3'-5' cyclic nucleotides of a purine (adenosine) and a pyrimidine (cytidine) was investigated. Additionally, the effect of amphiphiles was also evaluated. Furthermore, to discern the effect of "realistic" conditions on this process, the reactions were also performed using a hot spring water sample from a candidate early Earth environment. Our study showed that the oligomerization of cyclic nucleotides under DH-RH conditions resulted in intact informational oligomers. Amphiphiles increased the stability of both the starting monomers and the resultant oligomers in selected reactions. In the hot spring reactions, both the oligomerization of nucleotides and the back hydrolysis of the resultant oligomers were pronounced. Altogether, this study demonstrates how nonenzymatic oligomerization of cyclic nucleotides, under both laboratory-simulated prebiotic conditions and in a candidate early Earth environment, could have resulted in RNA oligomers of a putative RNA World.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shikha Dagar
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | - Susovan Sarkar
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | - Sudha Rajamani
- Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
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10
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Šiková M, Wiedermannová J, Převorovský M, Barvík I, Sudzinová P, Kofroňová O, Benada O, Šanderová H, Condon C, Krásný L. The torpedo effect in Bacillus subtilis: RNase J1 resolves stalled transcription complexes. EMBO J 2020; 39:e102500. [PMID: 31840842 PMCID: PMC6996504 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019102500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
RNase J1 is the major 5'-to-3' bacterial exoribonuclease. We demonstrate that in its absence, RNA polymerases (RNAPs) are redistributed on DNA, with increased RNAP occupancy on some genes without a parallel increase in transcriptional output. This suggests that some of these RNAPs represent stalled, non-transcribing complexes. We show that RNase J1 is able to resolve these stalled RNAP complexes by a "torpedo" mechanism, whereby RNase J1 degrades the nascent RNA and causes the transcription complex to disassemble upon collision with RNAP. A heterologous enzyme, yeast Xrn1 (5'-to-3' exonuclease), is less efficient than RNase J1 in resolving stalled Bacillus subtilis RNAP, suggesting that the effect is RNase-specific. Our results thus reveal a novel general principle, whereby an RNase can participate in genome-wide surveillance of stalled RNAP complexes, preventing potentially deleterious transcription-replication collisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaela Šiková
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrague 4Czech Republic
| | - Jana Wiedermannová
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrague 4Czech Republic
| | - Martin Převorovský
- Department of Cell BiologyFaculty of ScienceCharles UniversityPragueCzech Republic
| | - Ivan Barvík
- Division of Biomolecular PhysicsInstitute of PhysicsCharles UniversityPrague 2Czech Republic
| | - Petra Sudzinová
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrague 4Czech Republic
| | - Olga Kofroňová
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrague 4Czech Republic
| | - Oldřich Benada
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrague 4Czech Republic
| | - Hana Šanderová
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrague 4Czech Republic
| | - Ciarán Condon
- UMR8261CNRSUniversité de ParisInstitut de Biologie Physico‐ChimiqueParisFrance
| | - Libor Krásný
- Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrague 4Czech Republic
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11
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Šponer JE, Šponer J, Di Mauro E. Structural and Energetic Compatibility: The Driving Principles of Molecular Evolution. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1117-1122. [PMID: 31045430 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2018.1978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we provide an answer to the question formulated by Albert Eschenmoser: "How would you envisage the bridge between potentially primordial geochemistry that had been disordered and one that gradually became self-organizing?" Analysis of the free-energy profiles of some of the key reactions leading to formation of nucleotides and their oligomers shows that, whereas the first part of the pathway, up to nucleotides, is energy-driven, in the second low-energy part entropic control in the form of structural compatibility becomes more important. We suggest that the birth of modern metabolism requires structural compatibility, which is enabled by the commensurability of the thermodynamics of the synthetic steps with the stabilizing effect of those intermolecular interactions that play a key role in dictating entropic control of these reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit E Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Ernesto Di Mauro
- Institute for Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR, c/o Università Sapienza, Roma, Italy
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12
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Chemomimesis and Molecular Darwinism in Action: From Abiotic Generation of Nucleobases to Nucleosides and RNA. Life (Basel) 2018; 8:life8020024. [PMID: 29925796 PMCID: PMC6027154 DOI: 10.3390/life8020024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular Darwinian evolution is an intrinsic property of reacting pools of molecules resulting in the adaptation of the system to changing conditions. It has no a priori aim. From the point of view of the origin of life, Darwinian selection behavior, when spontaneously emerging in the ensembles of molecules composing prebiotic pools, initiates subsequent evolution of increasingly complex and innovative chemical information. On the conservation side, it is a posteriori observed that numerous biological processes are based on prebiotically promptly made compounds, as proposed by the concept of Chemomimesis. Molecular Darwinian evolution and Chemomimesis are principles acting in balanced cooperation in the frame of Systems Chemistry. The one-pot synthesis of nucleosides in radical chemistry conditions is possibly a telling example of the operation of these principles. Other indications of similar cases of molecular evolution can be found among biogenic processes.
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13
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Saladino R, Šponer JE, Šponer J, Di Mauro E. Rewarming the Primordial Soup: Revisitations and Rediscoveries in Prebiotic Chemistry. Chembiochem 2018; 19:22-25. [PMID: 29164768 PMCID: PMC5768021 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201700534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
A short history of Campbell's primordial soup: In this essay we try to disclose some of the historical connections between the studies that have contributed to our current understanding of the emergence of catalytic RNA molecules and their components from an inanimate matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele Saladino
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e BiologicheUniversità della TusciaVia San Camillo De Lellis01100ViterboItaly
| | - Judit E. Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of SciencesKrálovopolská 13561265BrnoCzech Republic
| | - Jiří Šponer
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of SciencesKrálovopolská 13561265BrnoCzech Republic
| | - Ernesto Di Mauro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Ecologiche e BiologicheUniversità della TusciaVia San Camillo De Lellis01100ViterboItaly
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