RNA Folding Argues Against a Hot-Start Origin of Life
Abstract
Opinion is strongly divided on whether life arose on earth under hot or cold conditions, the hot-start and cold-start scenarios, respectively. The origin of life close to deep thermal vents appears as the majority opinion among biologists, but there is considerable biochemical evidence that high temperatures are incompatible with an RNA world. To be functional, RNA has to fold into a three-dimensional structure. We report both theoretical and experimental results on RNA folding and show that (as expected) hot conditions strongly reduce RNA folding. The theoretical results come from energy-minimization calculations of the average extent of folding of RNA, mainly from 0-90 degrees C, for both random sequences and tRNA sequences. The experimental results are from circular-dichroism measurements of tRNA over a similar range of temperatures. The quantitative agreement between calculations and experiment is remarkable, even to the shape of the curves indicating the cooperative nature of RNA folding and unfolding. These results provide additional evidence for a lower temperature stage being necessary in the origin of life.
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In the RNA world, RNA served as both the molecule of inheritance and the primary catalyst for biological reactions.
“In the RNA world, RNA formed both the molecule of inheritance and the primary catalyst for biological reactions (Bernhardt 2012;Moulton et al. 2000).”
From Environmental Adaptation from the Origin of Life to the Last Universal Common Ancestor (2018) · cites this paper as Moulton et al. 2000
Higher temperatures severely restrict RNA folding.
“RNA folding, which is required for RNA to function, is strongly limited at higher temperatures (Moulton et al. 2000).”
From Environmental Adaptation from the Origin of Life to the Last Universal Common Ancestor (2018) · cites this paper as Moulton et al. 2000
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- Authors
- Moulton, V., Gardner, P. P., Pointon, R. F., Creamer, L. K., Jameson, G. B., & Penny, D.
- Affiliations
- Massey University (NZ)
- Venue
- Journal of Molecular Evolution
- Published
- 2000-10
- Volume
- 51
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 416-421
- ISSN
- 0022-2844 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1841754999
- Cited by
- 56
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 5 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 1.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Journal of Molecular Evolution (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (acceptedVersion)
- 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 › Molecular Biology › DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry
- Keywords
- RNA folding, origin of life, RNA world, tRNA, temperature dependence, cooperative folding, energy minimization, circular dichroism
- MeSH terms
- Origin of Life, Hot Temperature, Nucleic Acid Conformation, RNA, RNA, Transfer, Temperature
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