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Updated: May 23, 2026

Chemical Triphosphorylation of Oligonucleotides
Published on: June 2, 2022
RNA self-ligation: from oligonucleotides to full length ribozymes
Slawomir Gwiazda1, Kristina Salomon, Bettina Appel
1Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Institut für Biochemie, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, 17487 Greifswald, Germany. slawomir.gwiazda@rub.de
Abstract:
The RNA-world-theory is one possible explanation of how life on earth has evolved. In this context it is of high interest to search for molecular systems, capable of self-organization into structures with increasing complexity. We have engineered a simple catalytic system in which two short RNA molecules can catalyze their own ligation to form a larger RNA construct. The system is based on the hairpin ribozyme using a 2',3'-cyclophosphate as activated species for ligation. 2',3'-cyclic phosphates can be easily formed and occur in many natural systems, thus being superior candidates for activated building blocks in RNA world scenarios.
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