Chromatographic separation as selection process for prebiotic evolution and the origin of the genetic code

Area of Science:

• Origin of Life studies
• Prebiotic Chemistry
• Molecular Evolution

Background:

• The origin of the translation apparatus is a key question in understanding early life.
• Primordial adapters are hypothesized to have played a role in linking nucleic acids and amino acids.
• Oligonucleotides in hairpin conformations are proposed as potential early adapter molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a model for the evolution of a translation apparatus.
• To investigate the role of activated amino acids attached to hairpin oligonucleotides.
• To explore chromatographic separation as a mechanism for prebiotic amino acid and nucleotide sorting.

Main Methods:

• Examined various mineral adsorbents (silica, clays, silicates, hydroxyapatite, etc.) for separation.
• Utilized aqueous salt solutions for chromatographic separation of nucleotides and amino acids.
• Investigated the separation of specific molecules like alanine (ala) and cytidine monophosphate (CMP) from glycine (gly) and guanosine monophosphate (GMP).

Main Results:

• Demonstrated chromatographic separation of nucleotides and amino acids on diverse mineral surfaces.
• Showcased the feasibility of separating specific amino acids and nucleotides using silica and other adsorbents.
• Identified potential mineral surfaces for prebiotic separation processes.

Conclusions:

• Hairpin oligonucleotides could have functioned as primordial adapters, binding activated amino acids.
• Chromatographic separation on mineral surfaces offers a plausible mechanism for prebiotic molecular selection.
• This process may have contributed to the formation of proteinoids from specific amino acids, advancing the study of life's origins.