title: Modelling molecular stability in the RNA world.
abstract: RNA secondary structure, stability and melting curves are calculated for a model of a possible ribozyme corresponding to the RNA directed RNA polymerase (ribopolymerase) required in the RNA world. From these calculations, rates of folding and hybridisation are estimated and used in a stochastic simulation of the dynamics of a population of ribopolymerase molecules. Two models are considered: one synthesising a conventional antiparallel reverse complementary transcript and one synthesising a parallel complementary transcript. It was found that the latter system can operate much more effective in the higher temperatures thought to prevail during the RNA world.
authors.affiliation: Division of Mathematical Biology, National Institute for Medical Research, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, UK. wtaylor@nimr.mrc.ac.uk
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D019295:Computational Biology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000737:chemistry; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D020871:RNA Stability; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000737:chemistry; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases