Revisiting the Extinction of the RNA World
Anthony C. Forster*
Cite this: Biochemistry 2022, 61, 9, 749–751
Publication Date:April 7, 2022
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00121
Copyright © 2022 The Author. Published by American Chemical Society
Abstract
The ribozyme world is thought to have evolved the burdensome complexity of peptide and protein synthesis because the 20 amino acid side chains are catalytically superior. Instead, I propose that the Achilles heel of the RNA world that led to the extinction of riboorganisms was RNA’s polyanionic charges that could not be covalently neutralized stably by phosphotriester formation. These charges prevented development of hydrophobic cores essential for integration into membranes and many enzymatic reactions. In contrast, the phosphotriester modification of DNA is stable. So, the fact that the charge was never removed in DNA evolution gives further credence to proteins coming before DNA.
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