The role of clay minerals in the prebiotic synthesis of nucleotide oligomers has received considerable attention in recent years. Scanning force microscopy and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry are used to identify oligomers of adenylic acid formed on the clay mineral Cu(II)-exchanged hectorite in simulated prebiotic cycling experiments. Electron-spin resonance and x-ray diffraction data indicate that the monomer (5′-phosphorimidazolide of adenosine, or ImpA) penetrates into the intergallery regions of the mineral substrate, and complexes the gallery Cu(II) cations. It is postulated that polymerization of the monomer is initiated in the clay intergallery regions, producing oligomers of adenylic acid up to 8 units in length or more.

Topics
Atomic force microscopy, Minerals, Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Chemical compounds, Nucleotides, Adenosine
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