Oligonucleotide Synthesis on Minerals

本研究的重点是粘土矿物表面在与生命起源有关的低聚分子合成中的作用。具体目标包括开发在水溶液中不使用阻断基团的区域特异性低核苷酸合成，以帮助了解“RNA世界”所需的低核苷酸是如何首次形成的。模板定向合成A和G低聚物的研究将分别使用蒙脱土催化形成的U和C低聚物，并将在溶液和矿物表面进行。利用2-氨基苯并咪唑和4-氨基吡啶基团研究不同磷活化基团对低聚物形成的影响。延伸的低聚物，10米至50米，将被研究，其中纳入焦磷酸盐基团将被用作结扎的地点。研究了矿物在结扎反应中的催化作用。有了这个更新奖，合成有机项目支持伦斯勒理工学院化学系的詹姆斯·p·费里斯博士的研究。费里斯教授将集中研究粘土矿物在与生命起源有关的低聚分子合成中的作用。在此过程中，他将开发新的合成方法来制备寡核苷酸，并了解“RNA世界”所需的寡核苷酸最初是如何形成的。这些关于益生元化学的研究对社会各阶层具有内在的普遍兴趣。

The focus of this research is the role of clay mineral surfaces in the synthesis of oligomeric molecules relevant to the origin of life. Specific goals include the development of regiospecific syntheses of oligoribonucleotides in aqueous solution without using blocking groups to help understand how the olignucleotides required for the "RNA World" first formed. Template directed syntheses of oligomers of A and G will be studied using U and C oligomers respectively, formed by montmorillonite catalysis, and will be carried out in the solution phase and on mineral surfaces. An investigation of the effect of different phosphorus activating groups on oligomer formation will utilize 2-aminobenzimidazole and 4-aminopyridine groups. The elongation of oligomers, 10 mers to 50 mers, will be studied in which the incorporated pyrophosphate groupings will be utilized as sites of ligation. The role of mineral catalysis of the ligation reaction will be investigated. %%% With this Renewal Award, the Synthetic Organic Program is supporting the research of Dr. James P. Ferris of the Department of Chemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Professor Ferris will focus his work on the study of the role of clay minerals in the synthesis of oligomeric molecules relevant to the origin of life. In doing so, he will develop new synthetic approaches to the preparation of olignucleotides and gain understanding how the oligonucleotides required for the "RNA World" first formed. These studies in prebiotic chemistry are of intrinsic general interest to all segments of society.