The translation of messenger RNA sequences into polypeptide sequences according to the genetic code is central to life. How this process, which relies on the ribosomal machinery, arose from much simpler precursors is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that single nucleotides charged with an amino acid couple with amino acids linked to the 5′-terminus of an RNA primer in reactions directed by the nucleotides of an RNA template in dilute aqueous solution at 0 °C. When a mixture of U-Val, A-Gly and G-Leu competed for coupling to Gly-RNA, base pairing dictated which dipeptide sequence formed preferentially. The resulting doubly anchored dipeptides can retain their link to the primer for further extension or can be fully released under mild acidic conditions. These results show that a single-nucleotide-based form of translation exists that requires no more than oligoribonucleotides and anchored amino acids.

根据遗传密码将信使 RNA 序列翻译成多肽序列是生命的核心。这个依赖核糖体机制的过程是如何从更简单的前体产生的尚不清楚。在这里，我们证明了在 0°C 稀水溶液中，在由 RNA 模板的核苷酸指导的反应中，带有氨基酸的单核苷酸与连接到 RNA 引物的 5'-末端的氨基酸偶联。当 U-Val、A-Gly 和 G-Leu 的混合物竞争偶联 Gly-RNA 时，碱基配对决定了优先形成的二肽序列。得到的双锚定二肽可以保留它们与引物的连接以进一步延伸，或者可以在温和的酸性条件下完全释放。