Synthesis of activated pyrimidine ribonucleotides in prebiotically plausible conditions

Matthew W. Powner, Béatrice Gerland and John D. Sutherland ()
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Matthew W. Powner: School of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
Béatrice Gerland: School of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
John D. Sutherland: School of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK

Nature, 2009, vol. 459, issue 7244, 239-242

Abstract: RNA is for life The origin of life on Earth required — at some point — the synthesis of a genetic polymer from simple chemicals. The leading candidate for this role is RNA, but although 'activated' ribonucleotide molecules (the building blocks of RNA) can polymerize without enzymes, no plausible route had been found by which the ribonucleotides could have formed. Now a team from the University of Manchester has found such a route. They also show that a widely held assumption about ribonucleotide synthesis — that the molecules formed from pre-existing sugar molecules and RNA bases — isn't necessary for RNA to have formed on prebiotic Earth.

Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1038/nature08013

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