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Peptide synthesis with a template-like RNA guide and aminoacyl phosphate adaptors

Academic Article
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Overview

authors

  • Tamura, K.
  • Schimmel, Paul

publication date

  • July 2003

journal

  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America  Journal

abstract

  • The genetic code is thought to have developed from an early system of RNA-dependent peptide synthesis. To investigate one kind of template-like peptide synthesis that might emerge from an RNA world, we constructed highly reactive aminoacyl phosphate oligonucleotides as adaptors that bound to RNA guide sequences. The reactive aminoacyl groups mimic a chemistry found in modern protein biosynthesis. Guide sequence interactions with adaptors were borrowed in part from universal contacts seen between tRNAs and rRNA. With these constructions, di- and tripeptides formed in a single guide sequence-dependent reaction. The order of amino acids was not random but directional in a way consistent with substrate reactivities. No ribosomes or ribozymes were required. Thus, aminoacyl phosphate adaptors and RNA guides could, in principle, have been intermediates in the transition from the RNA world to modern template-dependent protein synthesis.

subject areas

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Models, Biological
  • Molecular Structure
  • Oligodeoxyribonucleotides
  • Peptide Biosynthesis
  • Peptides
  • RNA, Guide
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Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC166369

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0027-8424

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1073/pnas.1432909100

PubMed ID

  • 12857953
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Additional Document Info

start page

  • 8666

end page

  • 8669

volume

  • 100

issue

  • 15

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