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Science 15 April 1977:
Vol. 196. no. 4287, pp. 311 - 313
DOI: 10.1126/science.583625
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Articles

Science, Vol 196, Issue 4287, 311-313
Copyright © 1977 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Early chemical evolution of nucleic acids: a theoretical model

DA Usher

Recent experimental work suggests a possible cyclical pathway for early prebiotic oligonucleotide formation that involves (i) dry-state (nontemplate) synthesis of random copolymers with mixed 2',5' and 3',5' bonds, (ii) passage of these oligomers into solution at low temperatures, and (iii) a preferential hydrolysis of the 2',5' bond in any short helices that have formed. This early system could have selected for complementary sequences that were largely 3',5'-linked, but may not have selected efficiently for a single enantiomer of ribose.


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