{"title":"Origin of chirality: a structural theory.","authors":"M Shimizu","doi":"10.1007/BF00933683","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933683","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The molecular basis for the origin of chirality is presented: The complex of the anticodon bases and the discriminator base on a D type tRNA can recognize a L type amino acid. Exceptionally the D type tyrosine can be recognizable by the D type tRNA as shown by Calender and Berg. The advantage of such a stereochemical theory over the frozen accident theory is discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"397-404"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933683","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17520180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Project Cassini: a Saturn orbiter/Titan probe mission proposal.","authors":"D Gautier, W H Ip","doi":"10.1007/BF00933736","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933736","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Titan is the only moon in the solar system with a substantial atmosphere. The organic chemistry of its N2-CH4 atmosphere may resemble that of the earth's primitive atmosphere before life arose. The investigation of the synthesis of pre-biotic molecules in Titan's atmosphere and the atmospheric and surface environments of this planet-sized moon will be the focal point of the Cassini Project proposed to the European Space Agency for an international Saturn Orbiter/Titan Probe mission.</p>","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"801-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933736","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17521674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evolution of biocatalysis 3. Post-genetic-code evolution of condensation reactions.","authors":"C M Visser","doi":"10.1007/BF00933723","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933723","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"693-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933723","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17269335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M Ishigami, O Aono, T Hamamoto, M Kinjo, S Saigo, K Goto, Y Hattori
{"title":"The selection and coexistence of a plural number of primitive tRNAs and the origin of the genetic code.","authors":"M Ishigami, O Aono, T Hamamoto, M Kinjo, S Saigo, K Goto, Y Hattori","doi":"10.1007/BF00933710","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933710","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"605-12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933710","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17521817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The problem of transition from the chemical to the biological evolution: some possible solutions.","authors":"P M Bhargava, A Gambhir","doi":"10.1007/BF00933692","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933692","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>On the basis of evidence that several low-molecular-weight substances as well as enzymes are compartmentalised within the so-called soluble phase of the cell, and other considerations, it is argued that DNA may not contain information for certain types of organisation found in living cells. It may be necessary for a cell to possess the \"non-DNA-controlled\" organisation for performance of its minimum functions; such organisation would then also serve as a \"template\" for its appearance in the daughter cell. The problem of transition from chemical to biological evolution (that is, the formation of the \"first cell\") may be essentially the problem of emergence of such intracellular organisation for which information may not reside in DNA. Two possible mechanisms through which this may have happened are stated.</p>","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"459-68"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933692","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17299460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Genetic code and optimal resistance to the effects of mutations.","authors":"A Figureau, M Pouzet","doi":"10.1007/BF00933707","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933707","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper deals with the notion of resistance of the genetic code to the effects of mutations. We measure the resistance of a group of t codons as the number of pairs of those which differ from each other in only one of their three bases. We find for each value of t the maximum possible value of the resistance and we describe some groups of codons giving this value. Important examples of such configurations are found in the genetic code, among these are the groups of synonymous codons, as observed elsewhere, and the cluster of codons which have an hydrophobic amino acid for translation.</p>","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"579-88"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933707","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17439074","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
V Liebl, V J Novák, Z Masinovský, B Pacltová, L Bejsovcová
{"title":"The evolution of prebiological self-organization: probable colloid-chemical evolution of first prokaryotic cells.","authors":"V Liebl, V J Novák, Z Masinovský, B Pacltová, L Bejsovcová","doi":"10.1007/BF00933674","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933674","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This is an attempt to analyse the mechanisms of self-assembly in the course of the origin and early evolution of life on the Earth. A special attention is paid to the investigation of transient stages between the physico-chemical and biological bases of self-assembly, including experimental models and paleontological results. The theory of coacervate-in-coacervate is discussed from the point of view of evolution of first procaryotic cells. Many of the high developed structures of the contemporary cells, such as ribosomes, chromosomes, lipid membranes, some other organelles etc., are claimed to posses a rudimentary polyionic coacervate character.</p>","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"323-34"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933674","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17520176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Is matter inanimate? Protobiological information from within.","authors":"K Matsuno","doi":"10.1007/BF00933696","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933696","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Biological information refers to the process of how matter informs matter through endogenous boundary conditions, exhibiting a sharp contrast to Shannon's information referring to the process of how coded messages inform a human receiver or observer. The origin and evolution of protobiological and biological information occur because prior polymeric products successively provide new boundary conditions to the subsequent production process. The transition from what looks like inanimate matter to living beings is a continuous process. The underlying mechanism is the physical process that prior products provide new boundary conditions to the subsequent production process in a successive manner. Biological information resides in perpetuating cellular production process which eventually leads to an enhancement of evolutionary specificity. Cellular units are prerequisite to biological evolution, not vice versa.</p>","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"489-96"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933696","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17520188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"NASA's Exobiology Program.","authors":"D L DeVincenzi","doi":"10.1007/BF00933735","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00933735","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The goal of NASA's Exobiology Program is to understand the origin, evolution, and distribution of life, and life-related molecules, on Earth and throughout the universe. Emphasis is focused on determining how the rate and direction of these processes were affected by the chemical and physical environment of the evolving planet, as well as by planetary, solar, and astrophysical phenomena. This is accomplished by a multi-disciplinary program of research conducted by over 60 principal investigators in both NASA and university laboratories. Major program thrusts are in the following research areas: biogenic elements; chemical evolution; origin of life; organic geochemistry; evolution of higher life forms; solar system exploration; and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).</p>","PeriodicalId":76288,"journal":{"name":"Origins of life","volume":"14 1-4","pages":"793-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1984-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/BF00933735","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"17521673","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}