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Rna World Theory, A Possible Theory For Life Origin. I

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RNA world theory, a possible theory for life origin

I think the RNA world theory, combined with other process, including clay chemistry and deep sea vents activities, is an extremely possible theory for origin of life. With addition of icy chemistry, the RNA world theory may also help us to find life outside Earth. “The RNA world theory is widely accepted by origin-of-life theorist” (Ricardo and Szostak 2009)
The RNA world theory was initially proposed 1967 for origin of life. It includes the following steps: First, there are many nucleotides on Earth. Second, there is a chemical process to synthesize single-strand RNAs. Next step is to wait until there is an RNA molecule is produced with the right sequence and folded into the right
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The unique potential of RNA molecules to act both as an information carrier and as catalyst forms the basis of the RNA world hypothesis. an RNA molecule with an appropriately folded shape can serve as an enzyme.” (Alberts B,2002). The ability of RNAs as enzyme make a powerful assertion for the RNA world theory. “The demonstration that ribosomal peptide synthesis is a ribozyme-catalyzed reaction makes it almost certain that there was once an RNA World” (Orgel Leslie E. 2004). Additionally, I found out that RNA as the enzyme is not only synthesized in cells, but also in labs, so the natural RNAs will ability as catalysis may not be impossible. “Researchers directed the evolution of RNAs that could catalyze monomer synthesis, from the production of ribose to the attachment of the sugar to nucleobases. Others bred RNA enzymes, or ribozymes, that could conduct the steps of translation, phosphorylate other polymers, join molecules together, or break them apart.” (Jef Askt, 2014)
There are some suspicions on the RNAs’ ability to pass the catalysis properties to their offspring. “There is no way to encode the bond type between nucleotides. In other words, the RNA’s offspring will not be identical to the parent, and therefore the offspring will not have the replication ability” (Anne P) However, I think RNA replication is a reliable process since the shape is determined by nucleotide
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