To survive, an informational macromolecule must solve the major problem set by its very polymeric nature: instability. This is especially true in prebiotic terms because of the presumed initial absence of protective structures (proteins, lipids, etc.). We have analyzed the stability of the β-glycosidic and of the 3′- and 5′-phosphoester bonds in both deoxy monomers and deoxy oligomers under a large set of conditions. The results show a strong dependence of the relative stability of these bonds on the physico-chemical environment. A set of conditions has been identified in which the stability of polymers becomes comparable with that of the precursor monomers. In certain instances the stability of the 5′-phosphoester bond is even higher in the polymer than in the mononucleotide. © 2005 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Autori: | ||
Data di pubblicazione: | 2005 | |
Titolo: | Origin of informational polymers: Differential stability of 3′-and 5′-phosphoester bonds in deoxy monomers and oligomers | |
Rivista: | THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | http://dx.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M504537200 | |
Volume: | 280 | |
Appare nelle tipologie: | 2.1 Articolo su rivista |