Catalytic nucleic acids, such as ribozymes, are central to a variety of origin-of-life scenarios. Typically, they require elevated magnesium concentrations for folding and activity, but their function can be inhibited by high concentrations of monovalent salts. Here we show that geologically plausible high-sodium, low-magnesium solutions derived from leaching basalt (rock and remelted glass) inhibit ribozyme catalysis, but that this activity can be rescued by selective magnesium up-concentration by heat flow across rock fissures. In contrast to up-concentration by dehydration or freezing, this system is so far from equilibrium that it can actively alter the Mg:Na salt ratio to an extent that enables key ribozyme activities, such as self-replication and RNA extension, in otherwise challenging solution conditions. The principle demonstrated here is applicable to a broad range of salt concentrations and compositions, and, as such, highly relevant to various origin-of-life scenarios.

催化核酸，如核酶，是各种生命起源情景的核心。通常，它们的折叠和活性需要提高镁浓度，但它们的功能会被高浓度的一价盐抑制。在这里，我们表明从浸出玄武岩（岩石和重熔玻璃）中提取的地质上合理的高钠、低镁溶液会抑制核酶催化，但这种活性可以通过通过岩石裂缝的热流选择性上调镁来挽救。与通过脱水或冷冻提高浓度相比，该系统远未达到平衡，以至于它可以主动改变 Mg:Na 盐的比例，使其能够在其他方面具有挑战性的关键核酶活动，例如自我复制和 RNA 延伸。溶液条件。