Role of montmorillonite and other clays in the prebiotic reaction of d-ribose and amino acid

Abstract

Ribose stability and availability is prerequisite for the prebiotic formation of RNA according to RNA world hypothesis. The growing body of studies is suggesting the simultaneous evolution of RNA and protein. In addition, RNA peptide world hypothesis is also receiving credible evidences. In view of the identification of these prebiotic scenario, it is difficult to rule out interaction of ribose and amino acids in early Earth. In this paper, we reveal the role of prebiotically plausible clay catalysts consisting of montmorillonite/bentonite/kaolinite in prebiotic reaction of ribose with amino acids. The current study demonstrates that montmorillonite/bentonite/kaolinite catalyze partial Amadori reaction of ribose and amino acids in solid state. On the other hand, in aqueous state, montmorillonite/bentonite/kaolinite remain more or less as spectator and hardly any reactivity is observed between ribose and amino acids. To get the insight on the role of montmorillonite/bentonite/kaolinite in the reaction of ribose and amino acid in solid state and aqueous solution, a reactivity study was also conducted in methanol. The performed study uncovered the factors responsible for lability of ribose towards amino acids in solid state and stability of ribose towards amino acids in aqueous solution.