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RNA‐Directed Amino Acid Coupling as a Model Reaction for Primitive Coded Translation |
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| Authors: | Dr. Kazuo Harada Shoko Aoyama Dr. Akimasa Matsugami Dr. Penmetcha K. R. Kumar Dr. Masato Katahira Dr. Nobuo Kato Dr. Junko Ohkanda |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Life Sciences, Tokyo Gakugei University, 4‐1‐1 Nukuikita‐machi, Koganei, Tokyo 184‐8501 (Japan);2. Supramolecular Chemistry, Yokohama City University, 1‐7‐29 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230‐0045 (Japan);3. Biomedical Research Section, AIST, 1‐1‐1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305‐8566 (Japan);4. Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611‐0011 (Japan);5. The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, 8‐1 Mihogaoka, Ibaragi, Osaka 567‐0047 (Japan);6. Current address: Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto 611‐0011 (Japan) |
| Abstract: | The stereochemical theory claims that primitive coded translation initially occurred in the RNA world by RNA‐directed amino acid coupling. In this study, we show that the HIV Tat aptamer RNA is capable of recognizing two consecutive arginine residues within the Tat peptide, thus demonstrating how RNA might be able to position two amino acids for sequence‐specific coupling. We also show that this RNA can act as a template to accelerate the coupling of a single arginine residue to the N‐terminal arginine residue of a peptide primer. The results might have implications for our understanding of the origin of translation. |
| Keywords: | molecular evolution peptide bond formation RNA recognition RNA‐amino acid interactions translation |