Bringing prebiotic nucleosides and nucleotides down to earth

International audienceThere may be more than one way leading to RNA: Recent discoveries in the synthesis of nucleoside and nucleotide precursors are described and put into the wider context of prebiotic systems chemistry. Mixing Butlerow's carbohydrate precursors with Traube's 5-formylaminopyrimidines has led to the formation of prebiotic purine nucleosides whereas the mixing of 5-phosphoribose with barbituric acid and melamine gave supramolecular fibers from stacks of Whitesides’ rosettas