title: From formamide to RNA: the roles of formamide and water in the evolution of chemical information.
abstract: In pursuing the origin of informational polymers, we followed the assumption that their spontaneous formation could only have occurred: (i) if all the components were present at the same site and in the same reaction, and (ii) if the thermodynamics of the processes involved favored a polymerized over a monomeric state of the precursors. A plausible scenario satisfying both assumptions is provided.
authors: Dipartimento A.B.A.C., Università della Tuscia, Via San Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy. saladino@unitus.it
authors: Raffaele
authors: R
authors: Saladino
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Crestini
authors: Fabiana
authors: F
authors: Ciciriello
authors: Samanta
authors: S
authors: Pino
authors: Giovanna
authors: G
authors: Costanzo
authors: Ernesto
authors: E
authors: Di Mauro
mesh_terms: D002384:Catalysis; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D005559:Formamides; D000069497:Origin of Life; D012313:RNA; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D005559:Formamides; D014867:Water; C031066:formamide; D012313:RNA