A Kinetic Model of Nonenzymatic RNA Polymerization by Cytidine-5'-phosphoro-2-aminoimidazolide.

ABSTRACT: The nonenzymatic polymerization of RNA may have enabled copying of functional sequences during the origin of life. Recent progress utilizing 5'-phosphoro-2-aminoimidazole activation has reinvigorated the possibility of using nonenzymatic RNA polymerization for copying arbitrary sequences. However, the reasons why 2-aminoimidazole (AI) is a superior activation group remain unclear. Here we report that the predominant mechanism of polymerization using cytidine-5'-phosphoro-2-aminoimidazolide (Cp*) involves a 2-aminoimidazolium-bridged dinucleotide (Cp*pC) intermediate. To explore the role of this intermediate, we first identify and quantify four reactions involving the synthesis and breakdown of Cp*pC that occur in the absence of the primer-template duplex. We then analyze the dependence of

SUBMITTER: Walton T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6340129 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature