Abstract
It is proposed that the primordial genetic material could have been peptide nucleic acids, i.e., DNA analogues having a peptide backbone. PNA monomers based on the amino acid, alpha, gamma-diaminobutyric acid or ornithine are suggested as compounds that could have been formed in the prebiotic soup. Finally, the possibility of a PNA/RNA world is presented, in which PNA constitutes the stable genetic material, while RNA which may be polymerized using the PNA as template accounts for enzymatic activities including PNA replication.
| Originalsprog | Engelsk |
|---|---|
| Tidsskrift | Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres |
| Vol/bind | 23 |
| Udgave nummer | 5-6 |
| Sider (fra-til) | 323-7 |
| Antal sider | 5 |
| ISSN | 0169-6149 |
| Status | Udgivet - dec. 1993 |