Molecular Evolution of Phosphate

焦磷酸盐的益生元来源的问题将沿着两条线进行。一是在高温酸性热液条件下通过凝结和随后的活性矿物浓缩在自然界中连续形成的可能性。另一种涉及缩合剂的作用，如氰化物衍生物在缩合剂可与正磷酸盐离子一起浓缩的环境中。因为RNA的来源成分；氰化物、磷酸盐和碳酸盐（作为醛的前体）都是阴离子，具有阴离子交换能力的矿物是我们研究这些成分的潜在富集剂和寄主，以及它们进一步反应的催化剂。糖前体分子的益生元磷酸化可能的途径需要浓缩磷酸盐作为驱动剂，并需要最简单的非手性酯形成羟基化合物作为底物，如甲醛的缩合产物，后者已知可通过光化学和等离子体过程形成。在这一分支的研究中，还将探讨阴离子吸附过渡金属氢氧化物矿物的选择性浓缩能力和催化助剂。本研究的第三部分通过探索阴离子交换辉金石矿物中进化的核苷酸（如AMP和核苷酸磷酸（ADP， ATP））的浓度、顺序和催化反应，与当前对RNA非酶低聚化的研究相联系。该项目是一个更大项目的一部分，该项目旨在展示从高度稀释的水溶液中简单的有机和无机分子通过选择性浓缩、排序和在矿物基质上的反应，到形成益生元分子复合物的环境合理过程。目前的建议是关于浓缩磷酸盐（二磷酸，焦磷酸）的原始形成，浓缩和酯化现在未知的过程。

The question of the prebiotic source of pyrophosphate will be pursued along two lines. One is the possibility of continuous formation in nature by condensation under high temperature acidic hydrothermal conditions and subsequent concentration in reactive minerals. The other involves the action of condensation agents, such as cyanide derivatives in an environment where such agents may be concentrated together with orthophosphate ion. Since the source components of RNA; cyanide, phosphate and carbonate (as a precursor of aldehydes) are all anionic, minerals with anion exchange capacity are our prime choice for study as potential concentrators and hosts for these components, and as catalysts for their further reaction. Possible and likely paths for prebiotic phosphorylation of sugar precursor molecules require condensed phosphates as driving agents, and, as substrates, the simplest possible achiral ester forming hydroxyl compounds, such as condensation products of formaldehyde, the latter known to form by photochemical and plasma processes. Also in this branch of the investigation, the selective concentrating power and the catalytic aid of anion sorbing transition metal hydroxide minerals will be explore. The third part of the study connects to current research on non-enzymatic oligomerization of RNA by exploring the concentration, ordering, and catalytic reaction of evolved nucleotides such as AMP and nucleotide phosphates (ADP, ATP) in the anion exchanging pyroaurite minerals. This project is a part of a larger program, that aims at demonstrating environmentally plausible processes leading from simple organic and inorganic molecules in highly dilute aqueous solution via selective concentration, ordering and reaction on mineral substrates, to the formation of molecular complexes of prebiotic interest. The present proposal is concerned with the now unknown processes of original formation, concentration and esterification of condensed phosphate (diphosphate, pyrophosphate).