Re-creating an RNA world
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The RNA world hypothesis states that life originated via a system based on RNA genomes and RNA catalysts. Researchers have been trying to develop such a system since catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) were discovered in 1982. This review summarizes the recent progress made in that endeavor and outlines the obstacles that remain to be overcome. After giving a short background on prebiotic chemistry and in vitro evolution, the discussion focuses on the generation of three important components of an RNA world: a sufficient polymerase ribozyme, self-replicating membrane compartments and ribozymes that are capable of performing basic metabolic processes.
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Well-folded RNA sequences are poor templates for copying, while poorly folded sequences are unlikely to be good ribozymes.
“well-folded sequences are poor templates for copying, but poorly folded sequences are unlikely to be good ribozymes.”
From The paradox of dual roles in the RNA world: resolving the conflict between stable folding and templating ability (2013) · cites this paper as Muller 2006
RNA-based biochemistry represents an attractive platform for minimal synthetic self-replicating life since there is no need to support DNA and protein synthesis.
“RNA-based biochemistry also represents an attractive platform for minimal synthetic self-replicating life since there is no need to support DNA and protein synthesis (Szostak et al. 2001; Muller 2006; Joyce 2009; Cheng and Unrau 2010).”
From The paradox of dual roles in the RNA world: resolving the conflict between stable folding and templating ability (2013) · cites this paper as Muller 2006
Fine-tuning conditions (e.g., adjusting monomer ratios or limiting UV irradiation) could potentially overcome these biases, but such conditions would be unlikely early on.
“While fine-tuning the conditions—e.g. by adjusting monomer ratios to counteract reduced reactivity or limiting UV irradiation to attain an appropriate monomer ratio (7,27,28)—could potentially overcome these biases, such conditions would be unlikely early on.”
From Prebiotically plausible mechanisms increase compositional diversity of nucleic acid sequences (2012) · cites this paper as [28]
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References 169 · Cited by 79
- Authors
- Müller, U. F.
- Affiliations
- University of California System (US)
- Corresponding author
- Müller, U. F.
- ORCID
- Müller, U. F.
- Venue
- Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences
- Published
- 2006-05-02
- Volume
- 63
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 1278-1293
- ISSN
- 1420-682X (ISSN-L)
- 1420-9071
- PMC
- PMC11136017
- OpenAlex
- W2032230214
- Cited by
- 79
- References
- 169
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 6.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Keywords
- RNA world, origin of life, ribozymes, prebiotic chemistry, in vitro evolution, RNA metabolism
- MeSH terms
- Origin of Life, Models, Genetic, Nucleic Acid Conformation, RNA Ligase (ATP), RNA, RNA, Catalytic, Evolution, Molecular
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