Researchers from the University of Tokyo have created for the first time an RNA molecule that replicates
The origin of life according to Darwinian theoryevolution is based on the transition from self-replicating molecules such as RNA to complex living systems. However, modern science does not provide a clear answer to the question of how the transition from individual chemical molecules to complex life forms occurred.
One scientific hypothesis suggests thatoriginally unbound RNA molecules existed on Earth, possibly along with proteins and other organic substances. Then, about four billion years ago, these molecules began to reproduce themselves and evolve from a single molecule into a variety of complex systems. Scientists assumed that RNA could develop in different directions, accumulating mutations under the influence of external factors. In the process of mutations, the selection of the most stable molecules was carried out, which subsequently formed DNA.
“There is a principle in evolutionary biologycompetitive exclusion, which says that multiple species cannot coexist if they compete for the same resource. This means that in order to achieve sustainable diversity, molecules must determine the order in which different resources are used, says Ryo Mizuchi, one of the authors of the study. “Initially, we doubted that this was possible in principle, because they are just molecules.”
Image: Ryo Mizuchi, University of Tokyo
During the experiment, scientists incubatedRNA molecules in drops of water placed in oil at a temperature of 37°C for five hours. The solution was then diluted to one-fifth of the concentration using new nutrient drops and vigorously mixed. When this process was repeated several times, mutations occurred. The entire experiment lasted 1,200 hours (240 nutrient addition cycles).
“As a result, we found that individual RNAs do notcompeted with each other, but created a stable system of five types of RNA with a variety of interactions. This confirms the possibility of such a variant of evolution,” adds Mizuchi.
The scientists' work represents only the first step in understanding the transition from single molecules to cells. The team plans to continue research into further evolution and creation of complex living systems.
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