Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38769315›Full record

ArticleNature communications2024

Emergent ribozyme behaviors in oxychlorine brines indicate a unique niche for molecular evolution on Mars.

Tanner G Hoog, Matthew R Pawlak, Nathaniel J Gaut, Gloria C Baxter, Thomas A Bethel, Katarzyna P Adamala, Aaron E Engelhart

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Activation of Caged Functional RNAs by An Oxidative Transformation.Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology · 2025
    Article
  7. Gas-sensing riboceptors.RNA biology · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Tanner G HoogDepartment of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, 6-160 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
Matthew R PawlakDepartment of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3834-2164
Nathaniel J GautDepartment of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7979-0759
Gloria C BaxterDepartment of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, 6-160 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0007-3156-3622
Thomas A BethelDepartment of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
Katarzyna P AdamalaDepartment of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, 6-160 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1066-7207
Aaron E EngelhartDepartment of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, 6-160 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA. enge0213@umn.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1849-7700

Funding

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 80NSSC18K1139Research Corporation for Science Advancement (Research Corporation) Scialog Award 28754
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mars is a particularly attractive candidate among known astronomical objects to potentially host life. Results from space exploration missions have provided insights into Martian geochemistry that indicate oxychlorine species, particularly perchlorate, are ubiquitous features of the Martian geochemical landscape. Perchlorate presents potential obstacles for known forms of life due to its toxicity. However, it can also provide potential benefits, such as producing brines by deliquescence, like those thought to exist on present-day Mars. Here we show perchlorate brines support folding and catalysis of functional RNAs, while inactivating representative protein enzymes. Additionally, we show perchlorate and other oxychlorine species enable ribozyme functions, including homeostasis-like regulatory behavior and ribozyme-catalyzed chlorination of organic molecules. We suggest nucleic acids are uniquely well-suited to hypersaline Martian environments. Furthermore, Martian near- or subsurface oxychlorine brines, and brines found in potential lifeforms, could provide a unique niche for biomolecular evolution.

Indexed as

Evolution, MolecularExtraterrestrial EnvironmentMarsPerchloratesRNA, CatalyticperchloratePerchloratesRNA, Catalytic

Identifiers

PMID38769315
PMCPMC11106070

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.