Did minerals perform prebiotic combinatorial chemistry?
It has long been suspected that mineral surfaces may have been important in prebiotic chemistry. The recent demonstrations of extended oligomerization of nucleotides, amino acids and carbohydrates on mineral surfaces add support to the potential prebiotic importance of minerals, but leave a number of questions unanswered.
Schwartz
A W
AW
Evolutionary Biology Research Group, Faculty of Science, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525ED, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
D002384:Catalysis; D002625:Chemistry, Organic; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D008903:Minerals / Q000737:chemistry*; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D055601:Organic Chemistry Phenomena; D000069497:Origin of Life; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D008903:Minerals; D009841:Oligonucleotides; D009842:Oligopeptides; D009844:Oligosaccharides