The more work is done on the subject, the more plausible abiogenesis becomes.
For the first time, scientists have synthesized RNA enzymes – ribonucleic acid enzymes also known as ribozymes – that can replicate themselves without the help of any proteins or other cellular components.
What’s more, these simple nucleic acids can act as catalysts and continue the process indefinitely.
To test a hypothesis known as ‘The RNA World’, Gerald Joyce at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego began with naturally occurring RNA-like enzymes known as ribozymes, and allowed them to self-replicate on a limited chemical substrate. They then took a random subset of the resulting ribozymes and moved them to different substrates. The effect was to create a non-biological chemical system that underwent Darwinian evolution. This may represent a possible form of pre-cellular chemical life before the evolution of DNA, cell walls, and all these other ‘modern’ developments.
Many scientists believe that early life was based on RNA and predated the arrival of life based on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and proteins. RNA, which can both store information like DNA as well as act as an enzyme like proteins, [may] have supported pre-cellular life.
A [leading] proponent of the so-called ‘RNA world’ hypothesis, Joyce believes that RNA-based catalysis and information storage may have been the first step in the evolution of cellular life.
This kind of stuff is just so cool.
The RNA world hypothesis makes infinitely more sense than what I was taught in High School, that lipids spontaneously make bilayer vesicles. That was somehow supposed to be significant, but it’s hard to see where a dumb vesicle gets you, or more importantly, itself.
On the other hand, if an already active RNA “soup” made use of spontaneously formed lipid vesicles to isolate, concentrate, or store chemical products, that actually DOES seem to have a future.
Oh wow, good point.
One thing I’ve learned about biology is that huge leaps have been made, even since I was in high school. Cytoskeletons weren’t discovered when I took Earth Systems or Life Science or whatever it was called in 8th grade, for example.
Nice post.
* You’re welcome ;) haha
Your welcome ;)