“Why not think of RNA and DNA rising together, rather than trying to convert RNA to DNA by means of some fantastic chemistry at a prebiotic stage?”
IN BRIEF The "RNA world" hypothesis suggests RNA emerged from the mix of Earthly chemicals 4 billion years ago. But a new study suggests DNA evolved earlier that we initially predicted. WHAT A TWIST A new study by chemists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) offers an alternative to a well-known framework of how life originated on Earth. The findings, published in Angewandte Chemie , put a new spin on the “RNA world” hypothesis, suggesting that RNA and DNA possibly developed at the same time. In an interview with Phys.org, TSRI associate chemistry professor and senior author Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy, offered insight on the hypothesis saying, “even if you believe in an RNA-only world, you have to believe in something that existed with RNA to help it move forward.” “Why not think of RNA and DNA rising together, rather than trying to convert RNA to DNA by means of some fantastic chemistry at a prebiotic stage?” he said. Henning Dalhoff/Science Photo
