39th Annual Symposmm on 1 i 5 ' A , ~ ' Chemistry& " . . ; i, ,i Z QEEESE i _ I . . Qe O 33 :i go; ~ t ahiez : , Z 902 i t o. Molecular 0. 8:00AM Registration & Continental Breakfast, - Could RNA have emerged in the prebiotic era? Keeneland Room, W.T. Young Library The lecture will present our attempts towards an I 8:45AM Welcome - Dr. Eli Capilouto, understanding gained by comparing the properties B I O I o g y President of the University of Kentucky of RNA to its potentially (generationally simpler) 9:00AM Dr. Robert Hazen, George Mason University natural alternatives, Such an approach not only Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life's Origins discloses unconventional informational systems, novel chemical reactivity and reaction pathways, but Is life's origin a cosmic imperative manifest more importantly provides an appreciation for the throughout the cosmos, or is life an improbable uniqueness of the structure and function of RNA in 7 .5333. . accident, restricted to a few planets (or only one)? the context of chemical evolution. .. I}. Lacking observations of ecosystems beyond " E ' ' . our own world, scientists seek experimental and 11:30AM Lunch 3 3 f" theoretical frameworks to deduce the origin of life. 1:30PM Poster Session ; 351,335.1'33 i- .. I, In this context the concept of emergent systems Gallery, W.T. Young Library A 3? .1 , provides a unifying approach. Natural systems with 2:30PM Dr. Ada Yonath, Weizmann Institute of Science @3733, , M '3 many interacting components, such as molecules, Origins of life: from prebiotic peptide bond was , - cells or organisms, often display complex behavior formation to the contemporary ribosome 3.3"" " i not associated with their individual components. ' . f The origin of life can be modeled as a sequence of Ribosomes possess spectacular architecture 3,; uses-i emergent events the synthesis of biomolecules, accompanied by inherent mobility, allowing for their . Fm w _ the selection and organization of those small smooth performance as polymerases of amino acids. :53 . A- molecules into functional macromolecules, the Peptide bonds are formed and elongated within a M emergence of selfreplicating molecular systems, universal semi-symmetrical region connecting all of . and the initiation of molecular natural selection the remote ribosomal features involved in nascent Established by M Benton Naff which transformed the lifeless geochemical world of chain creation and elongation. The elaborate in memory of Anna S. Naff oceans, atmosphere and rocks into a living planet. architecture of this reaction positions ribosomal a This framework guides origin experiments, which substrates in appropriate stereochemistry for peptide l , V: : ,. . ,. r I can be designed to focus on each emergent step. bond formation, substratemediated catalysis, Ln 8 *1 " substrate translocation and nascent chair insertion > LO 3 10:00AM Break (refreshments available) into their exit tunnel, b 8 O 10:30AM Dr. Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy, 2 32 | LL] Friday, Aprll 12, 2013 Scripps Research Institute The high conservation of this region implies its E L) KO DC In Search of Alternatives to Understand the existence irrespective of environmental conditions 2 3 8 Lu Emergence of RNA implying that it may represent an ancient RNA U C Q Q SPEAKERS apparatus with bonding capabilities, which turned u (D 1' > Though the emergence of RNA is viewed as into peptide bond maker, thus capable of creating 0 if >- E Dl. RObert Haze: a critical step in the origins of life field, our oIigopeptides. Those oIigopeptides that were found E O x W Dr, Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy understanding of how (and why) RNA emerged useful survived and triggered the formation of the 0.) > C U) in Nature is equivocal and continues to engage, genetic does, which was optimized simultaneously E '5; 9 V7 Dl. Ada Yonath intrigue and fascinate the imagination. From a purely with the optimization of the bonding apparatus, 4: a CD E chemical point of view the questions, in this context, namely the ribosome, as well as the genetic code, its 8 > E Q are: molecular tools and its products: the mature proteins. (1) E 6 Q Department of Chemistry - What is speCIal about the components (ribose, Q 3 I <1: University of Kentucky phosphate and canonical nucleobases) and the 4:00PM Award Ceremony Lexington, KY 405060055 emergent properties of RNA? z 5 & Anrsai'ces