Re: self-replicating molecules

From: DNAunion@aol.com
Date: Mon Nov 20 2000 - 16:35:06 EST

  • Next message: DNAunion@aol.com: "Re: self-replicating molecules"

    >[...]

    >>>>Chris: Self-replicating molecules are not exactly uncommon.

    >>>>DNAunion: I am unaware of any known natural self-replicating
    molecule(they are very uncommon in nature, if they exist at all). Note the
    even DNA is not
    self-replicating (I bring this up because it is sometimes incorrectly stated
    that DNA replicates itself).

    >>>Susan: I happen to have just posted material on this subject to another
    list.

    go to www.google.com and type in "self-replicating molecules"

    -------
    http://discuss.foresight.org/critmail/sci_nano.88-94/0799.html

    An article on page 28 of the December issue of Discover magazine discusses
    the work of MIT chemist Julius Rebek. Rebek has developed a synthetic organic
    molecule capable of reproducing itself. This molecule, named amino adenosine
    triacid ester (AATE), consists of an amine and an ester, as the name implies.
    When added to a chloroform solution of amines and esters, AATE captures the
    components needed to replicate itself. Thermal motion of the solution then
    separates the
    original molecule from the copy. Under ideal conditions, AATE can reproduce
    itself 1,000,000 times in one second. Rebek is currently working on more
    sophisticated self-replicating molecules.
    -------
    a more detailed report of the above:
    http://w3.mit.edu/newsoffice/tt/1990/may09/23124.html
    ---------

    ******************
    ******************
    DNAunion: I noticed you stated the replicator was *SYNTHESIZED*. It is not
    natural, but made by humans.
    ******************
    ******************

    >>>Susan: and a later study on self-replicating peptides:

    http://platon.ee.duth.gr/data/maillist-archives/deukalion/1998-9/msg00036.html
    -----------

    *****************
    *****************
    DNAunion: There was not enough information on that page to tell for sure
    whether or not the peptides were naturally-occurring or manufactured, but I
    assume they were the latter for two reasons.

    (1) This quote from the page: "Self-replication has been demonstrated in
    synthetic chemical systems based on oligonucleotides peptides and
    complementary molecules without natural analogues."

    (2) The peptides involved in the earlier - and simpler - experiments dealing
    with a single set of "self-replicating" peptides (15-aa, 17-aa, and full
    32-aa parts) were designed and manufactured, not naturally-occuring.


    attached mail follows:



    >[...]

    >>>>Chris: Self-replicating molecules are not exactly uncommon.

    >>>>DNAunion: I am unaware of any known natural self-replicating molecule
    (they are very uncommon in nature, if they exist at all). Note the even DNA
    is not
    self-replicating (I bring this up because it is sometimes incorrectly stated
    that DNA replicates itself).

    >>>Susan: I happen to have just posted material on this subject to another
    list.

    go to www.google.com and type in "self-replicating molecules"

    -------
    http://discuss.foresight.org/critmail/sci_nano.88-94/0799.html

    An article on page 28 of the December issue of Discover magazine discusses
    the work of MIT chemist Julius Rebek. Rebek has developed a synthetic organic
    molecule capable of reproducing itself. This molecule, named amino adenosine
    triacid ester (AATE), consists of an
    amine and an ester, as the name implies. When added to a chloroform solution
    of amines and esters, AATE captures the components needed to replicate
    itself. Thermal motion of the solution then separates the
    original molecule from the copy. Under ideal conditions, AATE can reproduce
    itself 1,000,000 times in one second. Rebek is currently working on more
    sophisticated self-replicating molecules.
    -------
    a more detailed report of the above:
    http://w3.mit.edu/newsoffice/tt/1990/may09/23124.html
    ---------

    ******************
    ******************
    DNAunion: I noticed you stated the replicator was *SYNTHESIZED*. It is not
    natural, but made by humans.
    ******************
    ******************

    >>>Susan: and a later study on self-replicating peptides:

    http://platon.ee.duth.gr/data/maillist-archives/deukalion/1998-9/msg00036.html
    -----------

    *****************
    *****************
    DNAunion: There was not enough information on that page to tell for sure
    whether or not the peptides were naturally-occurring or manufactured, but I
    assume they were the latter for two reasons.

    (1) This quote from the page: "Self-replication has been demonstrated in
    synthetic chemical systems based on oligonucleotides peptides and
    complementary molecules without natural analogues."

    (2) The peptides involved in the earlier - and simpler - experiments dealing
    with a single set of "self-replicating" peptides (15-aa, 17-aa, and full
    32-aa parts) were designed and manufactured, not naturally-occuring.



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