ASI N. 2019-3-U.0: Vita nello spazio - Origine, presenza persistenza della vita nello spazio, dalle molecole agli estremofili (DSB.AD006.249)

Thematic area

Biomedical sciences

Project area

Structure responsible for the research project

Institute of molecular biology and pathology (IBPM)

Project manager

GIOVANNAMARIA COSTANZO
Phone number: 0649912897
Email: giovannamaria.costanzo@cnr.it

Abstract

It is common belief that we will never know how life originated, but that we will be able to reconstruct the plausible steps and the physical-chemical rules on which the first reactions were based and the kick-starting compounds formed (Costanzo et al. 2009, Saladino et al. 2012, Patel et al. 2015). We have explored the possibility that a homogeneous and comprehensive chemical frame existed allowing the evolution from the simplest reactive one-carbon compound to complex informational polymers, and that the conditions under which these syntheses occurred may still occur as multiform and widespread in the Universe (Adande et al. 2013, Saladino et al. 2015, Rotelli et al. 2016).

Goals

Our research aims at the study of the formation in prebiotic conditions of nucleobases, nucleotides, cyclic nucleotides and, increasing the molecular complexity of the system, short RNA oligomers and ribozymes (Costanzo et al. 2012, ?poner et al. 2015). We will investigate the prebiotic phosphorylation of nucleosides, the polymerization of cyclic nucleotides in RNA of homogeneous and mixed sequences, the role of aminoacids in the prebiotic syntheses and the reconstruction of genetic material in prebiotic conditions. The methods used will be molecular techniques, NMR and HPLC-Maldi analyses and infrared nanospectroscopy.

Start date of activity

21/05/2019

Keywords

origin of life, RNA polymerization, prebiotic syntheses

Last update: 20/01/2025