Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world

The purpose of this paper is to review two mathematical models: one for the formation of homochiral polymers from an originally chirally symmetric system; and the other, to show how, in an RNA-world scenario, RNA can simultaneously act both as information storage and a catalyst for its own productio...

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Main Authors: Wattis, Jonathan A.D., Coveney, Peter V.
Format: Article
Published: Cambridge University Press 2005
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/928/
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author Wattis, Jonathan A.D.
Coveney, Peter V.
author_facet Wattis, Jonathan A.D.
Coveney, Peter V.
author_sort Wattis, Jonathan A.D.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description The purpose of this paper is to review two mathematical models: one for the formation of homochiral polymers from an originally chirally symmetric system; and the other, to show how, in an RNA-world scenario, RNA can simultaneously act both as information storage and a catalyst for its own production. We note the similarities and differences in chemical mechanisms present in the systems. We review these two systems, analysing steady-states, interesting kinetics and the stability of symmetric solutions. In both systems we show that there are ranges of parameter values where some chains increase their own concentrations faster than others.
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spelling nottingham-9282020-05-04T20:31:05Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/928/ Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world Wattis, Jonathan A.D. Coveney, Peter V. The purpose of this paper is to review two mathematical models: one for the formation of homochiral polymers from an originally chirally symmetric system; and the other, to show how, in an RNA-world scenario, RNA can simultaneously act both as information storage and a catalyst for its own production. We note the similarities and differences in chemical mechanisms present in the systems. We review these two systems, analysing steady-states, interesting kinetics and the stability of symmetric solutions. In both systems we show that there are ranges of parameter values where some chains increase their own concentrations faster than others. Cambridge University Press 2005 Article PeerReviewed Wattis, Jonathan A.D. and Coveney, Peter V. (2005) Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world. International Journal of Astrobiology, 4 . pp. 63-73. ISSN 1473-5504 homochiral polymers origins of life chiral polymerisation RNA world mathematical modelling
spellingShingle homochiral polymers
origins of life
chiral polymerisation
RNA world
mathematical modelling
Wattis, Jonathan A.D.
Coveney, Peter V.
Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world
title Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world
title_full Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world
title_fullStr Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world
title_full_unstemmed Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world
title_short Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world
title_sort chiral polymerisation and the rna world
topic homochiral polymers
origins of life
chiral polymerisation
RNA world
mathematical modelling
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/928/