Accumulation and selection of nucleotides is one of the most challenging problems surrounding the origin of the first RNA molecules on our planet. In the current work we propose that guanosine 3',5' cyclic monophosphate could selectively crystallize upon evaporation of an acidic prebiotic pool containing various other nucleotides. The conditions of the evaporative crystallization are fully compatible with the subsequent acid catalyzed polymerization of this cyclic nucleotide reported in earlier studies and may be relevant in a broad range of possible prebiotic environments. Albeit cytidine 3',5' cyclic monophosphate has the ability to selectively accumulate under the same conditions, its crystal structure is not likely to support polymer formation.

Department of Geological Sciences Faculty of Science Masaryk University Kotlářská 2 61137 Brno Czech Republic

Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences Královopolská 135 61200 Brno Czech Republic

TESCAN Brno s r o Libušina třída 1 62300 Brno Czech Republic

University of Wrocław Faculty of Chemistry 14 F Joliot Curie 50 383 Wrocław Poland

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