Abstract
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.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 4-5 |
| Pages (from-to) | 323-8 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| ISSN | 0169-6149 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2007 |
Keywords
- Biological Evolution
- Life
- Molecular Conformation
- Molecular Structure
- Origin of Life
- Peptide Nucleic Acids/chemistry
- RNA/chemistry