Abstract
The origin of life has long baffled scientists, trying to shed some light on the universe of the unknown we live in. The RNA world hypothesis is merely an idea that tries to grasp the root of life by going beyond phylogenetic trees, and the ‘Drawinian threshold'. The birth of this hypothesis came with the discovery of ribozymes and certain relic molecules left behind by an RNA ruled world about -3.8 billion years ago. These primitive cells were the most minimal forms of life and experiments are trying to show this by mimicking primitive earth environments. Nucleotides have been shown to polymerize into random chains easily on clay or in ice and the chemical synthesis of RNA is possible although extremely challenging without the modern cellular machinery. The RNA world is untraceable because of horizontal gene transfer, which is highly criticized by researches, and still remains a widely researched and studied topic as it could be the heart of life on other earth like planets in the universe. The state of the model needs improvements in analytical techniques and experiments for the rate of Horizontal Gene Transfer on loosely bound components, and continued comparison of the different types of phylogenetic trees to widen the evolution of the genetic core. Furthermore the development of analytical techniques used for the monitoring of the Donan effect may show more insight into the division and growth of primitive cellular membranes and the continued research and exploration in the fields of Ribozymes, with a goal to reach a higher catalytic range with high fidelity and rate.
Highlights
The origin of life has long baffled scientists, trying to shed some light on the universe of the unknown we live in
The elementary hypothesis was first described by Leslie Orgel, Carl Woese, and Francis Crick in the 1960’s, articles written about the RNA world hypothesis are highly unusual in format and style, and are difficult to be classified under any scientific publication, Woese himself refers to his work as a ‘genetic annealing model for the universal ancestor of all extant life’ [1]
On perspective, could be focused on how did this complex machinery arise? Under which conditions could the RNA molecule be synthesized and maintain its stability? What is(are) the reasons that the RNA has been designated as a functional compound serving the main genetic and associated catalytic processes, rather than other alternative polymers? How does the origin of replicating systems relate to the origin of protocells and metabolism? How complex did the RNA world become before the advent of the genetic code and translation?
Summary
The elementary hypothesis was first described by Leslie Orgel, Carl Woese, and Francis Crick in the 1960’s, articles written about the RNA world hypothesis are highly unusual in format and style, and are difficult to be classified under any scientific publication, Woese himself refers to his work as a ‘genetic annealing model for the universal ancestor of all extant life’ [1]. A universal phylogenetic tree (Figure 1) depicts the modern types of cells with a common ancestral root which is determined based on molecular (rRNA) sequences in a canonical pattern [3], meaning they are so different from one another but still share a common intersection of origin. The rudimentary idea wasn’t taken into consideration until the discovery of Ribozymes; group I introns (Figure 2) and RNase P in the 1980’s, by Tom Cech and Sid Altman respectively These discoveries led to the foundation and research of the RNA world hypothesis [2], [3]. Perhaps the most compelling evidence is the structure of the ribosome (Figure 5), which is an essential component in the synthesis of proteins, which underline most of the modern biochemical metabolisms in the modern cell, and is the sole basis of the known phylogenetic tree branches, it has been shown that at the heart of the ribosome (active site) is a ribozyme [10]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
