How RNA got started

[BadgerKid]

Scientists may have figured out the chemistry that sparked the beginning of life on Earth.

The new findings map out a series of simple, efficient chemical reactions that could have formed molecules of RNA, a close cousin of DNA, from the basic materials available more than 3.85 billion years ago, researchers report online May 13 in Nature.

....

RNA molecules are formed from three components: a sugar, a base and a phosphate group. In past research, chemists developed each of the components and then tried to put them together to make the complete molecule. “But the components are quite stable, and so they wouldn’t stick together,” Sutherland says. “After 40 years of trying, we decided there had to be a better way of doing this reaction.”

The team took a different approach, starting with a common precursor molecule that had a bit of the sugar and the base. “Basically, we took half a base, added that to half a sugar, added the other piece of base, and so on,” Sutherland says. “The key turned out to be the order that the ingredients are added and the way you put them together — like making a soufflé.”

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/43723/title/How_RNA_got_started

[byronius]

1. Cool. Thanks for posting.

[jody]

2. Exciting, I wonder if there is intelligent life in the universe because given current world affairs

it's not on earth.

[backtoblue]

3. So, could life have started out as a virus?

We evolved into these evil humans and now our ancient ancestors are trying to kill us. ;-)

[steven johnson]

4. Brilliant! -- nt