Summary
Adenosine 5′-phosphoramidates form when solutions containing adenosine 5′-polyphosphates pnA (n ≧ 3) or P1, P2-diadenosine 5′-diphosphate and amines are allowed to dry out. Mg ions catalyze these reactions. We have studied systems containing ammonia, imidazole, glycine, ethylenediamine and histamine. The yields of adenosine 5′-phosphoramidates range from 10–50 % based on the nucleotide. The prebiotic significance of the reactions is discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- Im:
-
imidazole
- hist:
-
histamine
- gly:
-
glycine
- en:
-
ethylenediamine
- CDI:
-
1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride
- EDTA:
-
ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
- A:
-
adenosine
- Pn (n = 1, 2 ⋯):
-
linear polyphosphate containing n phosphate residues
- pnA:
-
adenosine 5′-polyphosphate containing n phosphate residues
- ADP:
-
adenosine 5′-diphosphate
- ATP:
-
adenosine 5′-triphosphate
- AppA:
-
P1, P2-diadenosine 5′-diphosphate
- gly-pA:
-
adenylyl-(5′→N)-glycine
- ImpA:
-
adenosine 5′-phosphorimidazolide
- NH2-pA:
-
adenosine 5′-phosphoramidate
- en-pA:
-
adenylyl-(5′→N)-ethylenediamine
- hist (NH) - pA:
-
adenosine 5′-phospho-[2-(4-imidazolyl)-ethylamide]
- hist(Im)-pA:
-
adenosine 5′-phospho-[4-(2-aminoethyl)-imidazolide]
- enP1,2 :
-
phosphoramidates of ethylenediamine derived from H3PO4 and H4P2O7
References
Blum, H.F. (1951). Times arrow and evolution p. 168. Princeton University Press
Buvet, R., Ponnamperuma, C., eds. (1971). Molecular Evolution, Vol. 1. Chemical Evolution and The Origin of Life. Amsterdam-London: North-Holland
Chambers, R.W., Moffatt, J.G. (1958). J. Am. Chem. Soc.80, 3752
Ferris, J.P., Nicodem, D.E. (1972). Nature238, 268
Handschuh, G.J., Lohrmann, R., Orgel, L.E. (1973). J. Mol. Evol.2, 251
Kenyon, D.H., Steinman, G. (1969). Biochemical predestination. New York: McGraw-Hill
Lohrmann, R. (1975). J. Mol. Evol.6, 237
Lohrmann, R. (1976). J. Mol. Evol.8, 197
Lohrmann, R., Orgel, L.E. (1973). Nature244, 418
Lohrmann, R., Orgel, L.E. (1976). J. Mol. Evol.7, 253
Michelson, A.M. (1962). Biochim. et Biophys. Acta55, 841
Michelson, A.M., Wold, F. (1962). Biochem.1, 1171
Neuman, M.W., Neuman, W.F., Lane, K. (1970). Curr. Mod. Biol.3, 277
Orgel, L.E., Lohrmann, R. (1974). Accounts of Chem. Res.7, 368
Österberg, R., Orgel, L.E., Lohrmann, R. (1973). J. Mol. Evol.2, 231
Ponnamperuma, C. (1972). Exobiology. Amsterdam-London: North-Holland
Sawai, H., Lohrmann, R., Orgel, L.E. (1975). J. Mol. Evol.6, 165
Sawai, H., Orgel, L.E. (1975). J. Mol. Evol.6, 185
Shim, J.L., Lohrmann, R., Orgel, L.E. (1975). J. Mol. Evol.5, 117
Smith, M., Khorana, H.G. (1958). J. Am. Chem. Soc.80, 1141
Wolman, Y., Haverland, W.J., Miller, S.L. (1972). Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci.69, 809
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lohrmann, R. Formation of nucleoside 5′-phosphoramidates under potentially prebiological conditions. J Mol Evol 10, 137–154 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01751807
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01751807