Question

The origin of life on our planet can be traced back to an early primordial soup and to the origin of RNA. What is the RNA world? Name of the characteristics of RNA as one of the most flexible molecules that kick-stared complex life.

Answer 1

What is RNA world ?

Answer: In the evolutionary history of life on earth, RNA world is the hypothetical stage in which self replicating RNA molecules proliferated before the DNA and proteins evolved.

The characteristics of RNA as one of the most flexible molecules that kick-stared complex life are:

1. RNAs can store and replicate genetic information
2. Just like protein enzymes, RNA enyzmes or ribozymes can catalyze chemical reactions in primitive cells, critical for life

Life requires molecules that possess one important characteristic: The ability to catalyze reactions that lead directly or indirectly to produce more molecules like themselves. As mentioned in the above points, RNA possessed this important characteristic that helped RNA to be one of the most flexible molecules that kick-stared complex life.