Enzyme-Free Copying of 12 Bases of RNA with Dinucleotides

Overview

Journal Angew Chem Int Ed Engl

Specialty Chemistry

Date 2022 Apr 21

PMID 35445525

Authors

Gabrielle Leveau

Daniel Pfeffer

Bernhard Altaner

Eric Kervio

Franziska Welsch

Ulrich Gerland

Clemens Richert

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The synthesis of complementary strands is the reaction underlying the replication of genetic information. It is likely that the earliest self-replicating systems used RNA as genetic material. How RNA was copied in the absence of enzymes and what sequences were most likely to have supported replication is not clear. Here we show that mixtures of dinucleotides with C and G as bases copy an RNA sequence of up to 12 nucleotides in dilute aqueous solution. Successful enzyme-free copying occurred with in situ activation at 4 °C and pH 6.0. Dimers were incorporated in favor of monomers when both competed as reactants, and little misincorporation was detectable in mass spectra. Simulations using experimental rate constants confirmed that mixed C/G sequences are good candidates for successful replication with dimers. Because dimers are intermediates in the synthesis of longer strands, our results support evolutionary scenarios encompassing formation and copying of RNA strands in enzyme-free fashion.

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