The role of self-assembled monolayers of the purine and pyrimidine bases in the emergence of life

Stephen J. Sowerby; Wolfgang M. Heckl

doi:10.1023/A:1006570726326

The role of self-assembled monolayers of the purine and pyrimidine bases in the emergence of life

Stephen J. Sowerby
, Wolfgang M. Heckl

University of Otago
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

85 Scopus citations

Abstract

The experimental evidence for the spontaneous formation and structure determination of two-dimensional monolayers of the purine and pyrimidine bases is examined. The plausibility of such structures forming spontaneously at the solid-liquid interface following their prebiotic synthesis suggests a functional role for them in the emergence of life. It is proposed that prebiotic interactions of enantiomorphic monolayers of mixed base composition with racemic amino acids might be implicated in a simultaneous origin of a primitive genetic coding mechanism and biomolecular homochirality. The interactions of these monolayers with carbohydrates and other derivatives is also discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	283-310
Number of pages	28
Journal	Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere
Volume	28
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006570726326
State	Published - Jun 1998
Externally published	Yes

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title = "The role of self-assembled monolayers of the purine and pyrimidine bases in the emergence of life",

abstract = "The experimental evidence for the spontaneous formation and structure determination of two-dimensional monolayers of the purine and pyrimidine bases is examined. The plausibility of such structures forming spontaneously at the solid-liquid interface following their prebiotic synthesis suggests a functional role for them in the emergence of life. It is proposed that prebiotic interactions of enantiomorphic monolayers of mixed base composition with racemic amino acids might be implicated in a simultaneous origin of a primitive genetic coding mechanism and biomolecular homochirality. The interactions of these monolayers with carbohydrates and other derivatives is also discussed.",

author = "Sowerby, \{Stephen J.\} and Heckl, \{Wolfgang M.\}",

note = "Funding Information: We would like to acknowledge the informative discussions with Michael Edelwirth and George B. Petersen. S.J. Sowerby thanks the Alexander von Humbolt-Stiftung for a post doctoral research fellowship.",

year = "1998",

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AU - Heckl, Wolfgang M.

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N2 - The experimental evidence for the spontaneous formation and structure determination of two-dimensional monolayers of the purine and pyrimidine bases is examined. The plausibility of such structures forming spontaneously at the solid-liquid interface following their prebiotic synthesis suggests a functional role for them in the emergence of life. It is proposed that prebiotic interactions of enantiomorphic monolayers of mixed base composition with racemic amino acids might be implicated in a simultaneous origin of a primitive genetic coding mechanism and biomolecular homochirality. The interactions of these monolayers with carbohydrates and other derivatives is also discussed.

AB - The experimental evidence for the spontaneous formation and structure determination of two-dimensional monolayers of the purine and pyrimidine bases is examined. The plausibility of such structures forming spontaneously at the solid-liquid interface following their prebiotic synthesis suggests a functional role for them in the emergence of life. It is proposed that prebiotic interactions of enantiomorphic monolayers of mixed base composition with racemic amino acids might be implicated in a simultaneous origin of a primitive genetic coding mechanism and biomolecular homochirality. The interactions of these monolayers with carbohydrates and other derivatives is also discussed.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0032102367

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JO - Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere

JF - Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere

IS - 3

ER -

The role of self-assembled monolayers of the purine and pyrimidine bases in the emergence of life

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