ENHANCEMENT OF THE PHOTOLYSIS OF NUCLEIC-ACID MONOMERS BY PHOSPHATES

In the tentative simulation of prebiotic synthesis, it was found that the photolysis yield of nucleic acid bases, nucleosides and nucleotide s (NA) undergoing UV irradiation was sharply enhanced by added orthoph osphate. Filter experiments demonstrated that the enhancement is due t o UV quanta of wavelength less than 215 nm in the emission spectrum of a medium pressure mercury lamp, The phosphate-induced enhancement of the photolysis of NA constitutes an additional channel of nucleic acid monomer degradation through their interaction with photoionized phosp hate radicals.