Question

2) The origin of life on our planet can be traced back to an early primordial soup and to the origin of RNA. What is the RNA world? Name of the characteristics of RNA as one of the most flexible molecules that kick-stared complex life.

Answer 1

• RNA world is a hypothesis using the studies of scientists Alexander Rich, Carl Woese, Francis Crick and Leslie Orgel.
• The hypothesis states that, RNA was a self-replicating nucleic acid, which was used to store genetic information and it started life on early earth.
• The characteristics of RNA which helped in deducing this hypothesis are:
  • RNA has the ability to self-replicate.
  • RNA is the genome in many viruses. It can store genetic information.
  • It has the ability to behave like an enzyme (ribozyme), similar to proteins and can catalyse biochemical reactions.
  • DNA can be synthesized using RNA as a template by the process of reverse transcription.
  • Proteins can be synthesized using RNA as a template by the process of translation. RNA is also a component of the ribosomes, which are the protein factories.
• Since, RNA as a single candidate, can multitask and perform the functions of DNA and proteins, it is hypothesized that, RNA might have been a beginner of life on earth.