The origins of the RNA world

• Published in: Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology Vol. 4; no. 5; p. a003608
• Main Authors: Robertson, Michael P, Joyce, Gerald F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press 01.05.2012
• Subjects: Catalysts; Concepts; DNA; Evolution, Molecular; Ligases - chemistry; Macromolecules; Models, Chemical; Molecular Structure; Nucleotides - biosynthesis; Origin of Life; polynucleotides; Polynucleotides - chemistry; Replication; RNA; RNA - chemistry; RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase - chemistry

The general notion of an "RNA World" is that, in the early development of life on the Earth, genetic continuity was assured by the replication of RNA and genetically encoded proteins were not involved as catalysts. There is now strong evidence indicating that an RNA World did indeed exist...