Primitive genetic polymers.
Since the structure of DNA was elucidated more than 50 years ago, Watson-Crick base pairing has been widely speculated to be the likely mode of both information storage and transfer in the earliest genetic polymers. The discovery of catalytic RNA molecules subsequently provided support for the hypothesis that RNA was perhaps even the first polymer of life. However, the de novo synthesis of RNA using only plausible prebiotic chemistry has proven difficult, to say the least. Experimental investigations, made possible by the application of synthetic and physical organic chemistry, have now provided evidence that the nucleobases (A, G, C, and T/U), the trifunctional moiety ([deoxy]ribose), and the linkage chemistry (phosphate esters) of contemporary nucleic acids may be optimally suited for their present roles-a situation that suggests refinement by evolution. Here, we consider studies of variations in these three distinct components of nucleic acids with regard to the question: Is RNA, as is generally acknowledged of DNA, the product of evolution? If so, what chemical and structural features might have been more likely and advantageous for a proto-RNA?
Engelhart
Aaron E
AE
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.
Hud
Nicholas V
NV
D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D000069497:Origin of Life; D058105:Polymerization; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*
D009696:Nucleic Acids; D012313:RNA
Nature. 2009 May 14;459(7244):239-42
19444213
Chem Commun (Camb). 2009 Feb 14;(6):647-9
19322409
Chem Commun (Camb). 2006 Jun 14;(22):2344-6
16733574
J Am Chem Soc. 2005 Jan 12;127(1):74-5
15631455
Biochemistry. 1977 Oct 18;16(21):4647-50
911780
Science. 1994 Aug 5;265(5173):777-80
7519361
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2004 Jun;34(3):277-306
15068036
J Am Chem Soc. 2004 Aug 11;126(31):9578-83
15291561
Nature. 1993 Oct 7;365(6446):566-8
7692304
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Sep 11;104(37):14598-603
17785419
J Am Chem Soc. 2009 Oct 21;131(41):14932-7
19824732
Cell. 1983 Dec;35(3 Pt 2):849-57
6197186
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2000 Oct;30(5):405-10
11002886
Nature. 1990 Jan 4;343(6253):33-7
1688644
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2007;46(14):2470-7
17111452
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2009;48(5):960-3
19130516
J Mol Evol. 1992 Jul;35(1):1-6
11536502
Nature. 1994 May 19;369(6477):221-4
8183342
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1976 Apr;73(4):1149-53
1063396
J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Oct 8;130(40):13264-73
18781753
Int J Biol Macromol. 1995 Oct;17(5):239-46
8580087
Nature. 2000 Sep 21;407(6802):327-39
11014182
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2007;46(14):2478-84
17111453
Science. 2000 Nov 17;290(5495):1306-7
11185405
Chem Biol. 1997 Apr;4(4):309-20
9195870
Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2004 Dec;8(6):672-89
15556414
J Theor Biol. 2000 Aug 21;205(4):543-62
10931751
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2004 Apr 2;43(15):2004-8
15065286
Eur J Biochem. 2003 Apr;270(8):1628-44
12694176
Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2010 Apr;2(4):a005439
20452951
J Am Chem Soc. 2009 Feb 18;131(6):2119-21
19166350
J Mol Evol. 1995 Dec;41(6):693-702
11536719
J Am Chem Soc. 2009 Oct 14;131(40):14560-70
19757789
Chem Biodivers. 2007 Apr;4(4):694-720
17443884
J Mol Evol. 1972;1(3):249-57
4681226
Carbohydr Res. 2000 Nov 3;329(2):359-65
11117319
Chembiochem. 2003 Jun 6;4(6):514-21
12794862
Chemistry. 2006 Nov 15;12(33):8581-8
16969774
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Apr 26;102(17):5938-43
15840720
J Am Chem Soc. 1965 Nov 20;87(22):5241-7
5844818
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2006 Aug;36(4):343-61
16915351
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2004 Jun;5(6):451-63
15173824
J Am Chem Soc. 2006 Aug 23;128(33):10847-56
16910680
Z Naturforsch C Biosci. 1976 Jul-Aug;31(7-8):361-70
8892
Nature. 2008 Jul 3;454(7200):122-5
18528332
J Mol Biol. 1968 Dec;38(3):367-79
4887876
Nature. 2008 Feb 21;451(7181):977-80
18288191
Nucleic Acids Symp Ser. 2000;(44):217-8
12903346
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2005 Feb;35(1):1-10
15889646
Antisense Nucleic Acid Drug Dev. 1997 Jun;7(3):187-95
9212909
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2006 Sep 18;45(37):6176-9
16917794
J Mol Evol. 1994;38:549-57
11539446
Biochemistry. 1981 Mar 31;20(7):1874-80
7013804
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2006 Oct 29;361(1474):1743-9; discussion 1749
17008215
J Am Chem Soc. 2009 Nov 11;131(44):16088-95
19839590
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Nov 12;99(23):14628-31
12409606
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Apr 11;97(8):3868-71
10760258
Science. 2009 Jul 3;325(5936):73-7
19520909
J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Jan 16;130(2):412-3
18095688
Chembiochem. 2007 Mar 26;8(5):537-45
17300110
J Biol Chem. 2007 Jun 8;282(23):16729-35
17412692
Nucleic Acids Res. 1991 Jun 11;19(11):2979-86
1711677
J Mol Biol. 1962 Jun;4:500-17
13885894
Acc Chem Res. 2004 Oct;37(10):784-97
15491125
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2001 Feb-Apr;31(1-2):71-86
11296525
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2001 Jun 18;40(12):2249-2251
11433484
Nucleic Acids Res. 1985 Apr 11;13(7):2469-84
4000962
Chem Biol. 2007 May;14(5):525-31
17524983
J Am Chem Soc. 2009 Aug 19;131(32):11347-9
19722647
Chem Biodivers. 2007 Apr;4(4):768-83
17443888
J Am Chem Soc. 2007 Aug 8;129(31):9556-7
17629276
Nucleic Acids Res. 2006 Jan 31;34(2):564-74
16449200
Chembiochem. 2003 Jun 6;4(6):504-7
12794860
Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 Feb 25;15(4):1699-715
3822836
J Mol Biol. 1968 Dec;38(3):381-93
5718557
Acc Chem Res. 2006 Apr;39(4):231-7
16618090
Science. 2000 Aug 11;289(5481):905-20
10937989
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2008 Feb;38(1):57-74
18008180
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Jan 22;105(3):853-8
18195373
Nature. 1961 Sep 16;191:1193-4
13731264
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Jul;84(13):4398-402
2440020
Structure. 2003 Dec;11(12):1485-98
14656433
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2004 Mar 26;43(14):1886-8
15054804
Science. 1966 Jul 1;153(3731):72-3
5938419
Naturwissenschaften. 2006 May;93(5):228-31
16552527
Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2004 Dec;8(6):654-9
15556411
J Am Chem Soc. 2002 Feb 6;124(5):746-7
11817938
Acc Chem Res. 2007 Feb;40(2):141-50
17309194
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Jan 26;107(4):1470-5
20080693
J Mol Biol. 1970 Feb 14;47(3):531-43
5418170
Cell. 1982 Nov;31(1):147-57
6297745
Science. 1999 Jun 25;284(5423):2118-24
10381870
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2001 Feb-Apr;31(1-2):87-102
11296526
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2006 Feb;36(1):39-63
16372197
Science. 2000 Nov 17;290(5495):1347-51
11082060
J Am Chem Soc. 2004 Jan 14;126(1):40-1
14709049
Trends Biochem Sci. 1998 Dec;23(12):491-5
9868373
Chem Asian J. 2008 Jan 4;3(1):134-9
18095296
Chembiochem. 2008 Nov 24;9(17):2779-83
18985646
J Am Chem Soc. 2002 Nov 20;124(46):13716-21
12431101
Science. 2004 Jan 9;303(5655):196
14716004
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Mar 23;107(12):5288-93
20212163
Science. 1983 Feb 18;219(4586):859-62
6186026
PLoS Biol. 2008 Jan;6(1):e18
18215113
Nat Struct Biol. 1997 Feb;4(2):98-101
9033585
Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol. 2004 Mar-Apr;39(2):99-123
15217990
Chembiochem. 2006 Jun;7(6):951-6
16642527
Biochemistry. 1997 Jan 14;36(2):399-411
9003193
Science. 1987 Mar 6;235(4793):1173-8
2434996
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1987;52:41-51
2456883
J Biomol Struct Dyn. 1999 Jun;16(6):1177-88
10447202
J Mol Biol. 1972 Jun 14;67(1):25-33
4339529