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PREBIOTIC CHEMISTRY

The origin of translation

Nature Chemistry volume 13, pages 725–726 (2021)Cite this article

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The origin and evolution of translational machinery — which produces a specific peptide from an RNA sequence — is a major unsolved puzzle in prebiotic chemistry. Now, the coupling of amino acids directed by RNA templates in the absence of a ribosome provides clues on how this protein synthesis process might have started.

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Fig. 1: RNA-directed peptide bond formation sheds light on the origin of translation.

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  1. Department of Chemistry and The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA

    Ya Ying Zheng & Jia Sheng

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  1. Ya Ying Zheng
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  2. Jia Sheng
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Correspondence to Jia Sheng.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Zheng, Y.Y., Sheng, J. The origin of translation. Nat. Chem. 13, 725–726 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-021-00760-9

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