Differential stability and dynamics of DNA-based and RNA-based coacervates affect non-enzymatic RNA chemistry

Karina K. Nakashima, Fatma Zohra Mihoubi, Jagandeep S. Saraya, Kieran O. Russell, Fidan Rahmatova, James D. Robinson, Maria Julia Maristany, Jan Huertas, Roger Rubio-Sánchez, Rosana Collepardo-Guevara (), Derek K. O’Flaherty () and Claudia Bonfio ()
Additional contact information
Karina K. Nakashima: University of Cambridge
Fatma Zohra Mihoubi: University of Cambridge
Jagandeep S. Saraya: University of Guelph
Kieran O. Russell: University of Cambridge
Fidan Rahmatova: University of Cambridge
James D. Robinson: University of Guelph
Maria Julia Maristany: University of Cambridge
Jan Huertas: University of Cambridge
Roger Rubio-Sánchez: University of Cambridge
Rosana Collepardo-Guevara: University of Cambridge
Derek K. O’Flaherty: University of Guelph
Claudia Bonfio: University of Cambridge

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract The RNA-peptide world hypothesis postulates the early co-evolution of RNA and peptides that led to the emergence of non-enzymatic RNA replication and peptide synthesis. Although nucleotides and amino acids have been shown to form and polymerise under prebiotic conditions, the origins of their synergy remain unclear. We propose that cooperation between DNA, RNA and peptides could have stemmed from their co-localisation in early biological compartments. Here, we show that heterogeneous mixtures of prebiotic oligonucleotides and peptides can spontaneously assemble into primitive coacervates. Experimental and computational studies reveal that peptide/nucleic acid coacervates are highly robust and form under a notably broad range of conditions. RNA-based coacervates are exceptionally stable and, in the presence of DNA, very fluid, which facilitates diffusion of reactive oligonucleotides and supports prebiotic RNA chemistry. Our findings suggest that coacervation may have occurred very early on the evolutionary timeline and fostered the emergence of a nucleic acid-peptide world. This study provides insights into the prebiotic role of coacervates and reconsiders their significance for the origins of life and the emergence of primitive replication and translation systems.

Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64335-9 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-64335-9

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-64335-9

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().