A Nonenzymatic RNA Polymerase Model
Abstract
Polynucleotide templates containing C (cytidine) as the major component facilitate the synthesis of oligonucleotides from mixtures of the activated mononucleotide derivatives (as indicated by structure 1 in the text). A nucleotide is incorporated into oligomeric products if and only if its complement is present in the template. The reaction has a high fidelity and produces products with mean chain lengths of six to ten nucleotides. Bases other than guanosine are incorporated within oligomers or at their 3' termini, but rarely at their 5' termini.
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2-methylimidazole (2MeI) is an especially good nucleotide activating agent.
“Since the discovery in 1981 that 2-methylimidazole (2MeI) is an especially good nucleotide activating agent”
From Protocells and RNA Self-Replication (2018) · cites this paper as Inoue and Orgel 1983
Using 2-methylimidazole-activated mononucleotides to copy short C-rich oligonucleotide templates was a successful model system.
“Their most successful model system involved the use of 2-methylimidazole-activated mononucleotides to nonenzymatically copy short C-rich oligonucleotide templates.4”
From Replacing Uridine with 2-Thiouridine Enhances the Rate and Fidelity of Nonenzymatic RNA Primer Extension (2015) · cites this paper as [4]
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- Authors
- Inoue, T., & Orgel, L. E.
- Affiliations
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies (US)
- ORCID
- Inoue, T.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 1983-02-18
- Volume
- 219
- Issue
- 4586
- Pages
- 859-862
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2066088682
- Cited by
- 273
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 5.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- 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
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Keywords
- cytidine, oligonucleotide synthesis, chain length distribution
- MeSH terms
- Base Sequence, Hydrogen Bonding, Models, Chemical, RNA, DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases, Templates, Genetic
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