Researchers from University College London, led by Matthew Powner, successfully replicated a crucial step in the origin of life: the production of proteins from RNA. This experiment, detailed in Nature, demonstrates a possible pathway for how life might have begun.
The origin of life remains a major scientific question. The study focuses on the formation of proteins, complex molecules vital for cell function. The experiment shows how RNA, a molecule closely related to DNA, could have controlled the synthesis of the first proteins.
The researchers recreated conditions similar to early Earth using neutral pH water. They found that the presence of thioesters, high-energy compounds crucial for biochemical processes, facilitated the process. The same research group previously published work showing the easy formation of thioesters under similar conditions.
The researchers suggest this reaction likely occurred in shallow water bodies such as ponds or lakes, rather than the open ocean. The study provides a significant advancement in our understanding of the origin of life, offering a plausible chain of events leading to early life forms billions of years ago.