Evolution of nucleic acid replication: The possible role of simple repeating sequence polypeptides therein

Summary

Our concept of nucleic acid replication does not explain the movement in that process—i.e., the existence of a socalled “growing point”. This omission may manifest itself in a failure to understand primitive nucleic acid replication. The latter may not be merely a “templating” process. Primitive nucleic acid replication is postulated to involve a particular type of peptide that establishes a “growing point”—a polypeptide in whichalternate amino acid residues are basic. Possible interactions of such a peptide with single and double stranded nucleic acid and its possible mode(s) of synthesis in a primitive environment are discussed.