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Modified nucleotides may have enhanced early RNA catalysis.


ABSTRACT: The modern version of the RNA World Hypothesis begins with activated ribonucleotides condensing (nonenzymatically) to make RNA molecules, some of which possess (perhaps slight) catalytic activity. We propose that noncanonical ribonucleotides, which would have been inevitable under prebiotic conditions, might decrease the RNA length required to have useful catalytic function by allowing short RNAs to possess a more versatile collection of folded motifs. We argue that modified versions of the standard bases, some with features that resemble cofactors, could have facilitated that first moment in which early RNA molecules with catalytic capability began their evolutionary path toward self-replication.

SUBMITTER: Wolk SK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7165471 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Modified nucleotides may have enhanced early RNA catalysis.

Wolk Steven K SK   Mayfield Wesley S WS   Gelinas Amy D AD   Astling David D   Guillot Jessica J   Brody Edward N EN   Janjic Nebojsa N   Gold Larry L  

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20200330 15


The modern version of the RNA World Hypothesis begins with activated ribonucleotides condensing (nonenzymatically) to make RNA molecules, some of which possess (perhaps slight) catalytic activity. We propose that noncanonical ribonucleotides, which would have been inevitable under prebiotic conditions, might decrease the RNA length required to have useful catalytic function by allowing short RNAs to possess a more versatile collection of folded motifs. We argue that modified versions of the stan  ...[more]

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