Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world

Wattis, Jonathan A.D.; Coveney, Peter V.

Abstract

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.

Citation

Wattis, J. A., & Coveney, P. V. (2005). Chiral polymerisation and the RNA world. International Journal of Astrobiology, 4(1), https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550405002454

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Sep 8, 2005
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2005
• Deposit Date: Sep 26, 2006
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 9, 2007
• Journal: International Journal of Astrobiology
• Print ISSN: 1473-5504
• Electronic ISSN: 1475-3006
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 1
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1473550405002454
• Keywords: origins of life, chiral polymerisation, RNA world, mathematical modelling
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1020765
• Contract Date: Sep 26, 2006