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Prebiotic Chemistry and Chemical Evolution of Nucleic Acids

  • Deals with the firsts steps of the chemical evolution of nucleic acids
  • Addresses state-of-the-art questions about the organization of nucleic acids
  • Also includes a historical review of the field

Part of the book series: Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology (NUCLEIC, volume 35)

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvi
  2. Mineral-Organic Interactions in Prebiotic Synthesis

    • Steven A. Benner, Hyo-Joong Kim, Elisa Biondi
    Pages 31-83
  3. Searching for Possible Ancestors of RNA: The Self-Assembly Hypothesis for the Origin of Proto-RNA

    • Brian J. Cafferty, David M. Fialho, Nicholas V. Hud
    Pages 143-174
  4. Folding and Catalysis Near Life’s Origin: Support for Fe2+ as a Dominant Divalent Cation

    • C. Denise Okafor, Jessica C. Bowman, Nicholas V. Hud, Jennifer B. Glass, Loren Dean Williams
    Pages 227-243
  5. Network Theory in Prebiotic Evolution

    • Sara Imari Walker, Cole Mathis
    Pages 263-291

About this book

The origin of life is one of the biggest unsolved scientific questions. This book deals with the formation and first steps of the chemical evolution of nucleic acids, including the chemical roots behind the origin of their components from the simplest sources in a geochemical context. Chemical evolution encompasses the chemical processes and interactions conducive to self-assembly and supramolecular organization, leading to an increase of complexity and the emergence of life. 

The book starts with a personal account of the pioneering work of Stanley Miller and Jeffrey Bada on the Chemistry of Origins of Life and how the development of organic chemistry beginning in the 19th century led to the emergence of the field of prebiotic chemistry, situated at the frontier between organic, geo- and biochemistry. It then continues reviewing in tutorial manner current central topics regarding the organization of nucleic acids: the origin of nucleobases and nucleosides, their phosphorylation and polymerization and ultimately, their self-assembly and supramolecular organization at the inception of life.



Editors and Affiliations

  • NSF-NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA; Unidad de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Dept. Biologia de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcala, Madrid, Spain

    César Menor-Salván

About the editor

Dr. Menor-Salvan is astrobiologist and Professor of Biochemistry at Universidad de Alcala (Spain), and scientist affiliated to the Center for Chemical Evolution (Georgia Institute of Technology, USA). His main research interest is the Prebiotic Chemistry and Chemical Evolution of biopolymers and Origins of Life. 

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Prebiotic Chemistry and Chemical Evolution of Nucleic Acids

  • Editors: César Menor-Salván

  • Series Title: Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93584-3

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2018

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-319-93583-6Published: 09 August 2018

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-06688-8Published: 01 February 2019

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-319-93584-3Published: 01 August 2018

  • Series ISSN: 0933-1891

  • Series E-ISSN: 1869-2486

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XVI, 291

  • Number of Illustrations: 55 b/w illustrations, 58 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Applied Microbiology, Evolutionary Biology

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access