Montmorillonite Catalysis of 30–50 Mer Oligonucleotides: Laboratory Demonstration of Potential Steps in the Origin of the RNA World
Abstract
Elongation of the primer 32pdA(pdA)8pA proceeds by the reaction of the 5'-phosphorimidazolides of adenosine and uridine in the presence of montmorillonite clay. Daily addition of the activated nucleotides for up to 14 days results in the formation of 40-50 mers using the 5'-phosphorimidazolide of adenosine (ImpA) and 25-30 mers using the 5'-phosphorimidazolide of uridine (ImpU). The limitation on the lengths of the chains formed is not due to the inhibitors formed since the same chain lengths were formed using 2-3 times the amount of montmorillonite catalyst. The shorter oligomers formed by the addition of U monomers is not due to its greater rate of decomposition since it was found that both the A and the U adducts decompose at about the same rates. Alkaline phosphatase hydrolysis studies revealed that some of the oligomers are capped at the 5'-end to form, with ImpA, Ap32pdA(pdA)8pA(pA)n. The extent of capping depends on the reaction time and the purine or pyrimidine base in the activated mononucleotide. Hydrolysis with ribonuclease T2 followed by alkaline phosphatase determined the sites of the 3', 5'- and 2', 5'-phosphodiester bonding to the primer. The potential significance of the mineral catalyzed formation of 50 mer oligonucleotides to the origin of life based on RNA (the RNA world scenario) is discussed.
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Montmorillonite clay can catalyze the polymerization of activated mononucleotides.
“The ability of montmorillonite clay to catalyze the polymerization of activated mononucleotides is well known (Ferris et al. 1996;Ferris 2002).”
From Protocells and RNA Self-Replication (2018) · cites this paper as Ferris 2002
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- Authors
- Ferris, J. P.
- Affiliations
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ferris, James P.
- Venue
- Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere
- Published
- 2002-08
- Volume
- 32
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 311-332
- ISSN
- 0169-6149 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-0875
- OpenAlex
- W2108421490
- Cited by
- 183
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 5.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Institutes of Health
- Division of Chemistry
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry
- Keywords
- montmorillonite, clay catalysis, oligonucleotide synthesis, RNA world, origin of life, adenosine, uridine, primer elongation, alkaline phosphatase, ribonuclease T2, mineral catalysis
- MeSH terms
- Origin of Life, Adenosine, Alkaline Phosphatase, Bentonite, Catalysis, Endoribonucleases, Oligonucleotides, RNA, Time Factors, Uridine Monophosphate, Molecular Structure, Evolution, Chemical
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