A Prebiotic Ribosylation of Pyrimidine Nucleobases Enabled by Metal Cations and Clay Minerals

Chen, Qian-Qian; Zhao, Ze-Run; Wang, Xiao

doi:10.3390/life11121381

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 22 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…Moreover, the clay minerals at the bottom of WLPs could also provide the phosphates needed for the phosphorylation of nucleosides [ 17 ]. In addition, metal-doped-clays were shown to select ribose from a formose mixture [ 119 ] and catalyze the formation of ribonucleosides [ 120 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Ribose Synthesis in Carbonaceous Planetesimals

Paschek

Köhler

Pearce

et al. 2022

Life

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The origin of life might be sparked by the polymerization of the first RNA molecules in Darwinian ponds during wet-dry cycles. The key life-building block ribose was found in carbonaceous chondrites. Its exogenous delivery onto the Hadean Earth could be a crucial step toward the emergence of the RNA world. Here, we investigate the formation of ribose through a simplified version of the formose reaction inside carbonaceous chondrite parent bodies. Following up on our previous studies regarding nucleobases with the same coupled physico-chemical model, we calculate the abundance of ribose within planetesimals of different sizes and heating histories. We perform laboratory experiments using catalysts present in carbonaceous chondrites to infer the yield of ribose among all pentoses (5Cs) forming during the formose reaction. These laboratory yields are used to tune our theoretical model that can only predict the total abundance of 5Cs. We found that the calculated abundances of ribose were similar to the ones measured in carbonaceous chondrites. We discuss the possibilities of chemical decomposition and preservation of ribose and derived constraints on time and location in planetesimals. In conclusion, the aqueous formose reaction might produce most of the ribose in carbonaceous chondrites. Together with our previous studies on nucleobases, we found that life-building blocks of the RNA world could be synthesized inside parent bodies and later delivered onto the early Earth.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Ribose Synthesis in Carbonaceous Planetesimals

Paschek

Köhler

Pearce

et al. 2022

Life

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A Plausible Prebiotic Path to Nucleosides: Ribosides and Related Aldosides Generated from Ribulose, Fructose, and Similar Abiotic Precursors

Roche

Fialho

Menor‐Salván

et al. 2022

Chemistry A European J

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The prebiotic origins of ribose, nucleosides, and eventually RNA are enduring questions whose answers are central to the RNA world hypothesis. The abiotic synthesis of sugars was first demonstrated over a century ago, but no known prebiotic reaction produces ribose (an aldose sugar) selectively and in good yield. In contrast, ribulose, and fructose (ketose sugars) and other monosaccharides are formed in high yield by several robust abiotic reactions. It is reported here that ketose sugars -both ketopentoses and ketohexoes -serve as precursors for the formation of ribosides and other aldosides, as demonstrated by glycosideforming reactions involving barbituric acid, a plausibly prebiotic nucleobase. Moreover, a one-pot reaction of glyceraldehyde and barbituric acid was discovered which under mild conditions, and without special minerals or other catalysts, results in the formation of glycosides. These results reveal that an exclusive or high-yielding generation of free ribose was not required for its incorporation into processes that provided the foundations for life.

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