AMINO ACID-DIRECTED NUCLEIC-ACID SYNTHESIS - POSSIBLE MECHANISM IN ORIGIN OF LIFE

The fact that proteins contain only a-amino acids and that protein structure is determined by 3′ → 5′ linked ribonucleotides is postulated to be the result of the copolymerization of these molecules in the prebiotic environment. Ribonucleotides therefore represent partial degradation products and proteins represent a side reaction developing from copolymerization. The basic structural unit of copolymerization is a nucleotide substituted with an amino acid at the 2′ position. Characteristics of modern amino and ribonucleic acid structure are all consistent with and necessary for this hypothesis. The characteristics and individual base assignments of the code also provide strong support for origin from the postulated copolymers. All characteristics of the code can be accounted for by this single hypothesis. © 1978 Springer-Verlag.