Abstract
In earlier work we have shown that C-rich templates containing isolated A, T or G residues and short oligo(G) sequences can be copied effectively using nucleoside-5′-phosphoro(2-methyl)imida-zolides as substrates. We now show that isolated A or T residues within an oligo(G) sequence are a complete block to copying and that an isolated C residue is copied inefficiently.
Replication is possible only if there are two complementary oligonucleotides each of which acts as a template to facilitate the synthesis of the other. We emphasize the severity of the problems that need to be overcome to make possible non-enzymatic replication in homogeneous aqueous solution. We conclude that an efficient catalyst Was involved in the origin of polynucleotide replication.
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Hill, A.R., Orgel, L.E. & Wu, T. The limits of template-directed synthesis with nucleoside-5′-phosphoro(2-methyl)imidazolides. Origins Life Evol Biosphere 23, 285–290 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01582078
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01582078