Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy, PhD
Scripps Research Joint Appointments
Other Joint Appointments
NSF-NASA CCI (Center for Chemical Evolution)Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life
Research Focus
Research in our group is focused on the use of synthetic organic chemistry and methodology to
- experimentally address questions concerning the origins of life with respect to the advent of functional monomers and the emergence of informational polymers.
- fashion artificial informational polymers in order to expand the interface between synthetic nucleic acids and the natural biopolymers (proteins and RNA/DNA).
- make available novel molecular tools that may provide new avenues for probing biological systems and for research in synthetic biology.
Education
Ph.D. (Chemistry), The Ohio State University, 1992Professional Experience
-2013 Associate Professor, Chemistry, Scripps ResearchAwards & Professional Activities
2016 Member, Scientific Organizing Committee, 2017 ISSOL.2014-17 Councillor, ISSOL (The International Astrobiology Society)
2011 ISSOL Fellow
2010 Member, Scientific Organizing Committee, 2011 ISSOL.
2009– UCSD undergraduate work-study program.
2008– MySci@Scripps - annual open house for High School students
and Mentor, TSRI summer internship program;
Astrobiology panel at UCSD life sciences career expo.
2006-08 San Diego Science Educators Association – Inventors
Showcase
1998– Member, American Association for the Advancement of
Science
1995– Member, International Society for the Study of the Origin
of Life (The International Astrobiology Society)
1988– Member, American Chemical Society
Selected References
Life's Biological Chemistry: A Destiny or Destination Starting from Prebiotic Chemistry? Krishnamurthy, R. Chem. Eur. J. 2018, Accepted Article.
Giving Rise to Life: Transition from Prebiotic Chemistry to Protobiology. Krishnamurthy, R. Acc. Chem Res. 2017, 50, 455–459.
Prebiotic Organic Chemistry and Chemical pre-Biology: Speaking to the Synthetic Organic Chemists. Krishnamurthy, R.; Snieckus, V. Synlett, 2017, 28, 27-29.
RNA-DNA Chimeras in the Context of an RNA-world Transition to an RNA/DNA-world. Gavette, J. V.; Stoop. M.; Hud, N. V.; Krishnamurthy, R. Angew. Chemie, Int, Ed. 2016, 55, 13204-13209 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201607919
Ester-Mediated Amide Bond Formation Driven by Wet-Dry Cycles: A Possible Path to Polypeptides on Prebiotic Earth. Forsythe, J.G.; Yu, S-S.; Mamajanov, I.; Grover, M.A.; Krishnamurthy, R.; Fernandez, F.M.; Hud, N.H. Angew. Chem. Int . Ed. 2015, 54, 9871-9875, DOI: 10.1002/ange.201503792.
The Emergence of RNA. Krishnamurthy, R. Israel J. Chemistry, 2015, 55, 837-850; Cover page
RNA as an Emergent Entity: An Understanding Gained Through Studying its Non-Functional Alternatives. Krishnamurthy, R. Synlett, 2014, 25, 1511-1518.
Production of Tartrates by Cyanide Mediated Dimerization of Glyoxylate: A Potential Abiotic Pathway to the Citric Acid Cycle. Butch, C.; Cope, E.D.; Pollet, P.L.; Gelbaum, L.; Krishnamurthy, R.; Liotta, C. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2013, 135, 13440-1344.
Role of pKa of Nucleobases in the Origins of Chemical Evolution. Krishnamurthy, R. Acc. Chem. Res. 2012. DOI: 10.1021/ar200262x
Exploratory Experiments on the Chemistry of the "Glyoxylate Scenario": Formation of Ketosugars from Dihydroxyfumarate. Sagi, V.N.; Punna, V.; Hu, F.; Meher, G.; Krishnamurthy, R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 3577-3589.
Diastereoselective Self-Condensation of Dihydroxyfumaric Acid in Water: Potential Route to Sugars. Sagi, V.N.; Karri, P.; Hu, F., Krishnamurthy, R. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 8127-8130.
Chemical Etiology of Nucleic Acid Structure: The α-Threofuranosyl-(3’→2’) Oligonucleotide System. Schöning, K.-U.; Scholz, P.; Guntha, S.; Wu, X.; Krishnamurthy, R.; Eschenmoser, A. Science 2000, 290, 1347-1351.
Chemical Etiology of Nucleic Acid Structure: Comparing Pentopyranosyl-(2'→4') Oligonucleotides with RNA. Beier, M.; Reck, F.; Wagner, T.; Krishnamurthy, R.; Eschenmoser, A. Science 1999, 283, 699-703.
Links
NSF-NASA CCI (Center for Chemical Innovation)
Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life
International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life and Astrobiology Society