The nonenzymatic template-directed ligation of oligonucleotides

摘要

The nonenzymatic template-directed ligation of oligonucleotides containing2', 3'-cyclic phosphate was investigated in the presence of divalent cations.Ligation of the oligonucleotides readily occurred in the presence ofMg2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Pb2+. Efficacy of the metalion catalysts inversely correlated with pKa values of the metal-bound watermolecules. The intermolecular transesterification reaction yielded at least95metal ion. Relatively high reaction yields (up to 15fragmentation to oligonucleotides with 2',3'-cyclic phosphates, followed byreactions of those oligonucleotides could provide a source of new RNAmolecules under prebiotic conditions.