Dataset Information

Nucleotide Selectivity in Abiotic RNA Polymerization Reactions.

ABSTRACT: In order to establish an RNA world on early Earth, the nucleotides must form polymers through chemical rather than biochemical reactions. The polymerization products must be long enough to perform catalytic functions, including self-replication, and to preserve genetic information. These functions depend not only on the length of the polymers, but also on their sequences. To date, studies of abiotic RNA polymerization generally have focused on routes to polymerization of a single nucleotide and lengths of the homopolymer products. Less work has been done the selectivity of the reaction toward incorporation of some nucleotides over others in nucleotide mixtures. Such information is an essential step toward understanding the chemical evolution of RNA. To address this question, in the present work RNA polymerization reactions were performed in the presence of montmorillonite clay catalyst. The nucleotides included the monophosphates of adenosine, cytosine, guanosine, uridine and inosine. Experiments included reactions of mixtures of an imidazole-activated nucleotide (ImpX) with one or more unactivated nucleotides (XMP), of two or more ImpX, and of XMP that were activated in situ in the polymerization reaction itself. The reaction products were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to identify the lengths and nucleotide compositions of the polymerization products. The results show that the extent of polymerization, the degree of heteropolymerization vs. homopolymerization, and the composition of the polymeric products all vary among the different nucleotides and depend upon which nucleotides and how many different nucleotides are present in the mixture.

SUBMITTER: Coari KM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5664167 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Nucleotide Selectivity in Abiotic RNA Polymerization Reactions.

Coari Kristin M KM Martin Rebecca C RC Jain Kopal K McGown Linda B LB

Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere : the journal of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life 20170203 3

In order to establish an RNA world on early Earth, the nucleotides must form polymers through chemical rather than biochemical reactions. The polymerization products must be long enough to perform catalytic functions, including self-replication, and to preserve genetic information. These functions depend not only on the length of the polymers, but also on their sequences. To date, studies of abiotic RNA polymerization generally have focused on routes to polymerization of a single nucleotide and ...[more]

PMID: 28160163

Similar Datasets

Project description:Malic enzymes have high cofactor selectivity. An isoform-specific distribution of residues 314, 346, 347 and 362 implies that they may play key roles in determining the cofactor specificity. Currently, Glu314, Ser346, Lys347 and Lys362 in human c-NADP-ME were changed to the corresponding residues of human m-NAD(P)-ME (Glu, Lys, Tyr and Gln, respectively) or Ascaris suum m-NAD-ME (Ala, Ile, Asp and His, respectively). Kinetic data demonstrated that the S346K/K347Y/K362Q c-NADP-ME was transformed into a debilitated NAD?-utilizing enzyme, as shown by a severe decrease in catalytic efficiency using NADP? as the cofactor without a significant increase in catalysis using NAD? as the cofactor. However, the S346K/K347Y/K362H enzyme displayed an enhanced value for k(cat,NAD), suggesting that His at residue 362 may be more beneficial than Gln for NAD? binding. Furthermore, the S346I/K347D/K362H mutant had a very large K(m,NADP) value compared to other mutants, suggesting that this mutant exclusively utilizes NAD? as its cofactor. Since the S346K/K347Y/K362Q, S346K/K347Y/K362H and S346I/K347D/K362H c-NADP-ME mutants did not show significant reductions in their K(m,NAD) values, the E314A mutation was then introduced into these triple mutants. Comparison of the kinetic parameters of each triple-quadruple mutant pair (for example, S346K/K347Y/K362Q versus E314A/S346K/K347Y/K362Q) revealed that all of the K(m) values for NAD? and NADP(+) of the quadruple mutants were significantly decreased, while either k(cat,NAD) or k(cat,NADP) was substantially increased. By adding the E314A mutation to these triple mutant enzymes, the E314A/S346K/K347Y/K362Q, E314A/S346K/K347Y/K362H and E314A/S346I/K347D/K362H c-NADP-ME variants are no longer debilitated but become mainly NAD?-utilizing enzymes by a considerable increase in catalysis using NAD? as the cofactor. These results suggest that abolishing the repulsive effect of Glu314 in these quadruple mutants increases the binding affinity of NAD?. Here, we demonstrate that a series of E314A-containing c-NADP-ME quadruple mutants have been changed to NAD?-utilizing enzymes by abrogating NADP? binding and increasing NAD? binding.

Dataset Information

Nucleotide Selectivity in Abiotic RNA Polymerization Reactions.

Publications

Nucleotide Selectivity in Abiotic RNA Polymerization Reactions.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets