Question 1: Peptide nucleic acids and the origin and homochirality of life

TY - JOUR

T1 - Question 1

T2 - Peptide nucleic acids and the origin and homochirality of life

AU - Nielsen, Peter E.

PY - 2007/10

Y1 - 2007/10

N2 - The possibilities of pseudo peptide DNA mimics like PNA (peptide nucleic acid) having a role for the prebiotic origin of life prior to an RNA world is discussed. In particular a scenario is proposed in which protocells with an achiral genetic material through several generations stepwise is converted into a chiral genetic material, e.g., by incorporation of RNA units. Provided that a sufficiently large sequence space is occupied, a selection process based on catalytic function in which a single cell (first common ancestor) has a definite evolutionary advantage, selection of this cell would by contingency also lock it into homochirality.

AB - The possibilities of pseudo peptide DNA mimics like PNA (peptide nucleic acid) having a role for the prebiotic origin of life prior to an RNA world is discussed. In particular a scenario is proposed in which protocells with an achiral genetic material through several generations stepwise is converted into a chiral genetic material, e.g., by incorporation of RNA units. Provided that a sufficiently large sequence space is occupied, a selection process based on catalytic function in which a single cell (first common ancestor) has a definite evolutionary advantage, selection of this cell would by contingency also lock it into homochirality.

KW - Biological Evolution

KW - Life

KW - Molecular Conformation

KW - Molecular Structure

KW - Origin of Life

KW - Peptide Nucleic Acids/chemistry

KW - RNA/chemistry

U2 - 10.1007/s11084-007-9105-2

DO - 10.1007/s11084-007-9105-2

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 17634745

SN - 0169-6149

VL - 37

SP - 323

EP - 328

JO - Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres

JF - Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres

IS - 4-5

ER -