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Scientists Just Found a Vital Missing Link in The Origins of Life on Earth
Researchers from The Scripps Research Institute in California have identified a molecule capable of performing phosphorylation in water, making it a solid candidate for what has until now been a missing link in the chain from lifeless soup to evolving cells. In the classic chicken and egg conundrum of biology's origins, debate continues to rage over which process kicked off others in order to get to life. Was RNA was[sic] followed by protein structures? Did metabolism spark the whole shebang? And what about the lipids?
No matter what school of abiogenesis you hail from, the production of these various classes of organic molecules requires a process called phosphorylation – getting a group of three oxygens and a phosphorus to attach to other molecules.
Nobody has provided strong evidence in support of any particular agent that might have been responsible for making this happen to prebiotic compounds. Until now. "We suggest a phosphorylation chemistry that could have given rise, all in the same place, to oligonucleotides, oligopeptides, and the cell-like structures to enclose them," says researcher Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy.
Enter diamidophosphate (DAP). Combined with imidazole acting as a catalyst, DAP could have bridged the critical gap from early compounds such as uridine and cytidine. That might not seem overly exciting, but phosphorylating nucleosides like these is a crucial step on the road to building the chains of RNA that could serve as the first primitive genes.
Also at Newsweek. Diamidophosphate.
Phosphorylation, oligomerization and self-assembly in water under potential prebiotic conditions (DOI: 10.1038/nchem.2878) (DX)
Related: Life's First Molecule Was Protein, Not RNA, New Model Suggests
(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 14 2017, @03:46PM (2 children)
I just want to point out that this is a really nice article to see, even if there really isn't much to say.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 14 2017, @03:57PM (1 child)
Now, you've begun the process of cluttering up the meaningful discourse.
Next time, just sit their quietly with that dumb look on your face.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 14 2017, @07:11PM
pot: kettle
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 14 2017, @03:54PM (1 child)
When one looks at a massive skyscraper, one sees an incredibly complex system of interdependent parts. It seems inconceivable that it was ever built; it must have popped into existence, fully formed by the miracle of an Intelligent Designer.
Of course, as we know, that is not the case.
Rather, the skyscraper was built up slowly, using all manner of intermediate scaffolding and temporary counterweights, which at some point were dismantled, carted off to a landfill, and utterly forgotten.
The same story is true of biological systems; when people scoff at the notion of something as complex as even a single cell having "spontaneously" emerged from the bubbling broth of a primordial soup, just remind them of the possibility of long-lost, long-forgotten, intermediate support structures.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 14 2017, @08:58PM
Yeah, I think that the point people miss is that even if it is EXTREMELY unlikely, 5 billion years is a REALLY long time.
I mean, look how bad the odds are for powerball and there are winners all the time.
(Score: 0, Troll) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday November 14 2017, @05:42PM (1 child)
I heard about abiogenesis before. I heard nobody really knows how it works. Why it's happening, even whether it's happening. Nobody knows. But people are starting to find out. And some, I assume, will find out how to use it to speed up creation of oil & gas. Let me tell you, we could use the energy. We could really use it. Because our economy has been growing TREMENDOUSLY. So we need all the energy we can get. #MAGA 🇺🇸
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 14 2017, @07:29PM
How else do you think a bunch of hot air could develop into a "precedential" candidate?