Overview
- Deals with the firsts steps of the chemical evolution of nucleic acids
- Addresses state-of-the-art questions about the organization of nucleic acids
- Also includes a historical review of the field
Part of the book series: Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology (NUCLEIC, volume 35)
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About this book
The origin of life is one of the biggest unsolved scientific questions. This book deals with the formation and first steps of the chemical evolution of nucleic acids, including the chemical roots behind the origin of their components from the simplest sources in a geochemical context. Chemical evolution encompasses the chemical processes and interactions conducive to self-assembly and supramolecular organization, leading to an increase of complexity and the emergence of life.
The book starts with a personal account of the pioneering work of Stanley Miller and Jeffrey Bada on the Chemistry of Origins of Life and how the development of organic chemistry beginning in the 19th century led to the emergence of the field of prebiotic chemistry, situated at the frontier between organic, geo- and biochemistry. It then continues reviewing in tutorial manner current central topics regarding the organization of nucleic acids: the origin of nucleobases and nucleosides, their phosphorylation and polymerization and ultimately, their self-assembly and supramolecular organization at the inception of life.
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Table of contents (10 chapters)
Editors and Affiliations
About the editor
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Prebiotic Chemistry and Chemical Evolution of Nucleic Acids
Editors: César Menor-Salván
Series Title: Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93584-3
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-93583-6Published: 09 August 2018
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-06688-8Published: 01 February 2019
eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-93584-3Published: 01 August 2018
Series ISSN: 0933-1891
Series E-ISSN: 1869-2486
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVI, 291
Number of Illustrations: 55 b/w illustrations, 58 illustrations in colour
Topics: Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Applied Microbiology, Evolutionary Biology