Crystallization as a selection force at the polymerization of nucleotides in a prebiotic context

• Published in: iScience Vol. 26; no. 9; p. 107600
• Main Authors: Šponer, Judit E., Šponer, Jiří, Výravský, Jakub, Matyášek, Roman, Kovařík, Aleš, Dudziak, Wojciech, Ślepokura, Katarzyna
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 15-09-2023; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biological sciences; Natural sciences; Natural sciences; Biological sciences; Biochemistry
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107600

Accumulation and selection of nucleotides is one of the most challenging problems surrounding the origin of the first RNA molecules on our planet. In the current work we propose that guanosine 3′,5′ cyclic monophosphate could selectively crystallize upon evaporation of an acidic prebiotic pool containing various other nucleotides. The conditions of the evaporative crystallization are fully compatible with the subsequent acid catalyzed polymerization of this cyclic nucleotide reported in earlier studies and may be relevant in a broad range of possible prebiotic environments. Albeit cytidine 3′,5′ cyclic monophosphate has the ability to selectively accumulate under the same conditions, its crystal structure is not likely to support polymer formation.
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•3′,5′cGMP and 3′,5′cCMP (free acid) readily crystallize from nucleotide mixtures•Crystallization could sequester 3′,5′cGMP and 3′,5′cCMP from the prebiotic soup•In contrast to 3′,5′cCMP, crystalline 3′,5′cGMP polymerizes upon heating at 80°C•3′,5′cCMP and 3′,5′cGMP phase-separate upon dry-wet cycling
Natural sciences; Biological sciences; Biochemistry