Figure 4From: Primordial soup or vinaigrette: did the RNA world evolve at acidic pH?Rate of hydrolysis of aminoacyl-tRNA decreases with pH over the range pH 6-11. Rate of hydrolysis of leucyl-tRNA at 37°C and ionic strength 0.30 (the break in the curve between pH 8-10 represents the shift from rate-determining hydroxide attack on the ammonium acid ester cation to rate-determining attack on the free amino acid ester). Figure adapted with permission from [22] Wolfenden ©1963 American Chemical Society.Back to article page