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YOUR DAILY DOSE OF SCIENCE 3

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF RNA?

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER CHEMICAL CLUE

Scientists at Scripps “This finding supports Krishnamurthy explained. reaction stages, a form nucleotides? If so,
Research have uncovered the idea that prebiotic “We wanted to investigate significant portion of ribose this could create the
new findings about why chemistry could have whether this process also molecules converted into a conditions for protocell
ribose may have been produced RNA’s building played a key role in the form suitable for nucleotide growth and division—a
nature’s preferred sugar blocks, which might primordial chemistry that formation. fundamental aspect of life,”
for building RNA. This have eventually led to started it all.” Krishnamurthy added.
discovery sheds light structures exhibiting lifelike Next Steps: Testing in
on how the molecular properties,” said study co- Ribose Reacts Faster Than Protocells Reference: Harold A.
foundations of life formed author Ramanarayanan Other Sugars Cruz ve Ramanarayanan
before biological life began. Krishnamurthy, a chemistry The researchers caution Krishnamurthy, “Selection
professor at Scripps To test this, researchers that while these reactions of Ribofuranose-Isomer
Today, cells rely on Research. used controlled chemical can occur abiotically, Among Pentoses by
enzymes to synthesize reactions to compare how they don’t prove how life Phosphorylation with
complex molecules What Are Nucleotides, and ribose is phosphorylated originated. Diamidophosphate”,
like RNA and DNA. But Why is Ribose Important? by diamidophosphate Angewandte Chemie
billions of years ago, (DAP) versus three other “Studying these chemical International Edition
before enzymes and life Nucleotides, the building sugars with the same processes helps us (27 Haziran 2025). DOI:
existed, how did these vital blocks of RNA and DNA, chemical composition understand how life’s 10.1002/anie.202509810
molecules come together? consist of: but different structures building blocks may have
Moreover, why were certain (arabinose, lyxose, formed,” Krishnamurthy Funding: NASA
molecules selected as •A five-carbon sugar and xylose). They then said. “But we’re not Astrobiology Program
life’s building blocks while molecule (ribose or analyzed the reaction claiming this is how RNA (80NSSC22K0509)
others were discarded? deoxyribose) products using nuclear and DNA emerged—that’s
A new study from Scripps magnetic resonance (NMR) a much bigger leap. Many The sugar ribose is more
Research offers important •A phosphate group spectroscopy. other steps would be quickly phosphorylated
clues to answer these needed.” compared to other sugars
fundamental questions. •A nitrogenous base (the The results showed that with the same chemical
part encoding genetic while DAP phosphorylated Next, the team plans formula but a different
Why Was Ribose information, e.g., A, C, G, all four sugars, it reacted to test whether these shape. This selective
Advantageous as RNA’s or U) with ribose much faster. reactions can occur inside phosphorylation could
Building Block? Additionally: protocells—primitive cell- explain how ribose became
Krishnamurthy’s team like structures that may the sugar molecule in RNA.
In a study published in sought to understand how •Ribose formed exclusively have preceded life. Credit: Scripps Research
Angewandte Chemie, these complex molecules five-membered rings
researchers examined the could have emerged on (matching RNA’s structure) “Can ribose be selectively
role of ribose in RNA’s early early Earth. The study enriched inside a protocell
evolution. Experiments specifically focused on •Other sugars produced and further react to
showed that ribose binds phosphorylation—the step a mix of five- and six-
to phosphate (another in nucleotide formation membered rings
critical component of RNA) where ribose bonds with
faster and more efficiently phosphate. When DAP was added
than similar sugars. This to a mixture containing
natural advantage may “Phosphorylation is one equal amounts of all four
have influenced why ribose of life’s fundamental sugars, it preferentially
became a key molecule in chemical processes; it’s phosphorylated ribose.
the chemistry that led to essential for structure, While the other sugars
life. function, and metabolism,” stalled at intermediate