Question

2. Describe how information storage and processing and replication of genetic information may have taken place in a population of RNA-based life-forms on the early Earth.

Answer 1

The genetic information is basically represented as a series of fixed sequences of bases(genes) that are organized at specific locations in a genetic molecule. So, the storage of genetic information may have occurred in the same way in a population of RNA-based life forms on the early Earth. The genetic information was stored in the sequences of bases of RNA molecule that can be transferred in the next generation once it is replicated or can be processed to produce a functional product.

The processing and replication of the genetic information may have taken place with the help of catalytic RNA molecules. Modern research has proven the fact that RNA molecule can perform self-replication so can pass on its genetic information to the next generation.

It has been proven that Ribozymes, a class of catalytic RNA molecules that can perform replication of short fragments of RNA molecules with little or more error occurrence. Some experiments also showed that messenger RNA can store genetic information and both tRNA and rRNA can translate stored information into proteins.

That is how the storage, processing, and replication of genetic information may have occurred in RNA -based life forms in early Earth when there was an absence of DNA molecule and catalytic protein molecule.