Abiogenic synthesis of oligonucleotides on kaolinite under the action of ultraviolet radiation.

The present work deals with the processes involved in the abiogenic polycondensation of nucleotides adsorbed on the clay mineral kaolinite under the action of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The dependence of the yield of synthesis products on irradiation dose was studied. The maximum yield corresponds to a 6-h exposure. The newly synthesized substances were analyzed by ion-exchange chromatography. Some fractions were studied for the type of bonds they contained by venom phosphodiesterase and RNase T2 enzymatic hydrolysis. It was determined that some of the products synthesized by exposure of AMP adsorbed on the surface of clay particles to UV radiation may be looked upon as oligonucleotides in which some fragments have 2'-5'-bonded and others 3'-5'-bonded nucleotides.