Chiral encoding may provide a simple solution to the origin of life

Brewer, Ashley; Davis, Anthony P.

doi:10.1038/nchem.1981

Cited by 51Origins and Evolution of LifeRNA and protein synthesis mechanismsEvolution and Genetic Dynamics

Chiral encoding may provide a simple solution to the origin of life

Brewer, Ashley, Davis, Anthony P.·2014·Nature Chemistry

DOI 10.1038/nchem.1981

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Abstract

The route by which the complex and specific molecules of life arose from the 'prebiotic soup' remains an unsolved problem. Evolution provides a large part of the answer, but this requires molecules that can carry information (that is, exist in many variants) and can replicate themselves. The process is commonplace in living organisms, but not so easy to achieve with simple chemical systems. It is especially difficult to contemplate in the chemical chaos of the prebiotic world. Although popular in many quarters, the notion that RNA was the first self-replicator carries many difficulties. Here, we present an alternative view, suggesting that there may be undiscovered self-replication mechanisms possible in much simpler systems. In particular, we highlight the possibility of information coding through stereochemical configurations of substituents in organic polymers. We also show that this coding system leads naturally to enantiopurity, solving the apparent problem of biological homochirality.

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In a template consisting of regions of alternating helicity, the initially formed heterochiral polymer replicates by recognition and ligation of its constituting helical fragments.
“The initially formed heterochiral polymer replicates by recognition and ligation of its constituting helical fragments.422”
From Possible chemical and physical scenarios towards biological homochirality (2022) · cites this paper as [422]

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Chirality‐Matched Piezoelectric Responsiveness and Energy Transfer in Supramolecular Co‐Assembly of Dipeptides
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Chirality‐Matched Piezoelectric Responsiveness and Energy Transfer in Supramolecular Co‐Assembly of Dipeptides
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Authors: Brewer, A., & Davis, A. P.
Affiliations: University of Bristol (GB)
Corresponding author: Davis, Anthony P.
ORCID: Davis, Anthony P.
Venue: Nature Chemistry
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2014-06-20
Volume: 6
Issue: 7
Pages: 569-574
ISSN: 1755-4330 (ISSN-L)
1755-4349
DOI: 10.1038/nchem.1981
OpenAlex: W2014643441
Cited by: 51
References: 56
Citations by year: 2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 3
FWCI: 1.62
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
www.springer.com/tdm (vor)
Locations: Nature Chemistry (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (publishedVersion)
Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
Funders: Leverhulme Trust
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/K03927X/1)
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 › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
Keywords: origin of life, stereochemistry, self-replication, homochirality, enantiomeric purity, prebiotic chemistry, RNA, information encoding, organic polymers, enantiomers
MeSH terms: Origin of Life, Stereoisomerism, Molecular Structure, Prebiotics

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Chiral encoding may provide a simple solution to the origin of life

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