Matt WillemsenNov 19, 2023
Did this chemical reaction create the building blocks of life on Earth?
In our latest work, my colleagues and I have integrated autocatalysis into a well-known chemical pathway for producing the ribonucleotide building blocks, which could have plausibly happened with the simple molecules and complex conditions found on the early Earth.
https://theconversation.com/did-this-chemical-reaction-create-the-building-blocks-of-life-on-earth-216843 #life #origin #chemistry #autocatalysis #ribonucleotide #BuildingBlocks #cyanamide
Did this chemical reaction create the building blocks of life on Earth?

Scientists have known about the ‘formose reaction’ for 160 years. New research shows how it could have played a key role in the creation of life.

The Conversation
The EMBO JournalSep 18, 2023

In our issue 18:
Reviews on ubiquitin-targeted bacterial effectors, and on satellite RNAs

Highlights on #ribonucleotide salvage for #mitochondrial #transcription, and plant defense against #m6A-RNA-containing viruses

Further articles on #intraflagellar transport, #replication initiation within #chromatin, #integrin-dependent cancer cell invasion…

https://www.embopress.org/toc/14602075/2023/42/18

katch wreckJul 9, 2023

`Furthermore, we show that 5′-FAD capping protects RNA from RIG-I mediated innate #immune recognition but does not stabilize the HCV #RNA. These results establish #capping with cellular metabolites as a novel #viral RNA-capping strategy, which could be used by other viruses and affect anti-viral treatment outcomes and persistence of #infection.`

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06301-3

#interesting #virology #medicine #molecularBiology #molecularBio #biology #ribonucleotide #nucleotide #immunology #pathology

Hepatitis C virus RNA is 5′-capped with flavin adenine dinucleotide - Nature

Hepatitis C virus utilizes flavin adenine dinucleotide as a non-canonical initiating nucleotide for the viral RNA polymerase, resulting in 5′ capping of viral RNA, which provides protection against the host innate immune response.

Nature