Abstract
Most self-replicating peptide systems are made of α-helix forming sequences. However, it has been postulated that shorter and simpler peptides may also serve as templates for replication when arranged into well-defined structures. We describe here the design and characterization of new peptides that form soluble β-sheet aggregates that serve to significantly accelerate their ligation and self-replication. We then discuss the relevance of these phenomena to early molecular evolution, in light of additional functionality associated with β-sheet assemblies.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 563-567 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres |
| Volume | 41 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Dec 2011 |
Keywords
- Prebiotic peptides
- Self-replication
- β-sheets
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Space and Planetary Science