Publications by authors named "Ze-Run Zhao"
A selective non-enzymatic synthesis of ribose simply from formaldehyde, metal salts and clays.
Chem Commun (Camb)
January 2025
Article Synopsis
- The study shows that metal-doped clay (MDC) can selectively produce ribose from formaldehyde without biological processes.
- Ribose remains stable better than other carbohydrates when combined with natural minerals and divalent cations, suggesting its significance on early Earth.
- This research provides insights into why ribose is considered the foundational component of RNA in living organisms.
We report a prebiotically relevant solution to the 1-ribosylation of pyrimidine nucleobases, a well-known challenge to the RNA world hypothesis. We found that the presence of metal cations and clay minerals enable the previously unachievable direct ribosylation of uracil. Spectroscopy and chromatography analyses confirmed the formation of ribosylated uracil.
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