RNA world hypothesis: Difference between revisions

From The School of Biomedical Sciences Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
← Older editNewer edit →
Nnjm2 (talk | contribs)
7,735 edits
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
The [[RNA|RNA]] world hypothesis is one possible explaination to the paradox surrounding the origin of life on Earth.&nbsp;The central dogma of molecular biology states that [[DNA|DNA]] is required to produce proteins, with RNA<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">acting as an intermeidate&nbsp;<ref>Londish, H., Berk, A., Kaiser, C.A., Krieger, M., Bretscher, A., Ploegh, H., Amon, A. &amp;amp;amp;amp; Scott, M.P. (2013) Molecular Cell Biology. 7th edn. Basingstoke: Macmillan Higher Education. p. 116.</ref>. The paradox arises due to the fact that DNA is required to produce proteins, but protiens are required to produce DNA&nbsp;<ref>Alberts, B., Bray, D., Hopkins, K., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2014) Essential Cell Biology. 4th edn. Abingdon: Garland Science. p. 253.</ref>. This raises the question how did such a interdependant system first arise?</span>  
The [[RNA|RNA]] world hypothesis is one possible explaination to the paradox surrounding the origin of life on Earth. It was proposed by Francis Crick and his team in the late 1960s <ref>Akst J. (2014) RNA World 2.0. The Scientist magazine. Available from: http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/39252/title/RNA-World-2-0/ [last accessed: 28.11.2014]</ref>. The central dogma of molecular biology states that [[DNA|DNA]] is required to produce proteins, with RNA<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">acting as an intermeidate&nbsp;<ref>Londish, H., Berk, A., Kaiser, C.A., Krieger, M., Bretscher, A., Ploegh, H., Amon, A. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Scott, M.P. (2013) Molecular Cell Biology. 7th edn. Basingstoke: Macmillan Higher Education. p. 116.</ref>. The paradox arises due to the fact that DNA is required to produce proteins, but protiens are required to produce DNA&nbsp;<ref>Alberts, B., Bray, D., Hopkins, K., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2014) Essential Cell Biology. 4th edn. Abingdon: Garland Science. p. 253.</ref>. This raises the question how did such a interdependant system first arise?</span>  


The RNA world hypothesis states that due to the ability of RNA to both store genetic information and catalyse chemical reactions, it may be the precursor to current life&nbsp;<ref>Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2008) Molecular Biology of the Cell. 5th edn. Abingdon: Garland Science. pp. 400-408.</ref>.<br>  
The RNA world hypothesis states that due to the ability of RNA to both store genetic information and catalyse chemical reactions, it may be the precursor to current life&nbsp;<ref>Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2008) Molecular Biology of the Cell. 5th edn. Abingdon: Garland Science. pp. 400-408.</ref>. &nbsp;However the sequence of reactions which leads to the spontaneous synthesis of [https://teaching.ncl.ac.uk/bms/wiki/index.php/RNA RNA] in the prebiotic environment has not been scientificaly revealed&nbsp;<ref>Akst J. (2014) RNA World 2.0. The Scientist Magazine. Available from: http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/39252/title/RNA-World-2-0/ [last accessed: 28.11.2014]</ref>, therefore the hypothesis has failed to gain general scientific consensus.<br>  


=== References  ===
=== References  ===

Revision as of 11:21, 28 November 2014

The RNA world hypothesis is one possible explaination to the paradox surrounding the origin of life on Earth. It was proposed by Francis Crick and his team in the late 1960s [1]. The central dogma of molecular biology states that DNA is required to produce proteins, with RNA acting as an intermeidate [2]. The paradox arises due to the fact that DNA is required to produce proteins, but protiens are required to produce DNA [3]. This raises the question how did such a interdependant system first arise?

The RNA world hypothesis states that due to the ability of RNA to both store genetic information and catalyse chemical reactions, it may be the precursor to current life [4].  However the sequence of reactions which leads to the spontaneous synthesis of RNA in the prebiotic environment has not been scientificaly revealed [5], therefore the hypothesis has failed to gain general scientific consensus.

References

  1. ↑ Akst J. (2014) RNA World 2.0. The Scientist magazine. Available from: http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/39252/title/RNA-World-2-0/ [last accessed: 28.11.2014]
  2. ↑ Londish, H., Berk, A., Kaiser, C.A., Krieger, M., Bretscher, A., Ploegh, H., Amon, A. &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Scott, M.P. (2013) Molecular Cell Biology. 7th edn. Basingstoke: Macmillan Higher Education. p. 116.
  3. ↑ Alberts, B., Bray, D., Hopkins, K., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2014) Essential Cell Biology. 4th edn. Abingdon: Garland Science. p. 253.
  4. ↑ Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. and Walter, P. (2008) Molecular Biology of the Cell. 5th edn. Abingdon: Garland Science. pp. 400-408.
  5. ↑ Akst J. (2014) RNA World 2.0. The Scientist Magazine. Available from: http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/39252/title/RNA-World-2-0/ [last accessed: 28.11.2014]


Retrieved from "https://teaching.ncl.ac.uk/bms/wiki//index.php?title=RNA_world_hypothesis&oldid=12979"