Constructive Approaches for Understanding the Origin of Self-Replication and Evolution

Overview

Journal Life (Basel)

Specialty Biology

Date 2016 Jul 16

PMID 27420098

Citations 10

Authors

Norikazu Ichihashi

Tetsuya Yomo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The mystery of the origin of life can be divided into two parts. The first part is the origin of biomolecules: under what physicochemical conditions did biomolecules such as amino acids, nucleotides, and their polymers arise? The second part of the mystery is the origin of life-specific functions such as the replication of genetic information, the reproduction of cellular structures, metabolism, and evolution. These functions require the coordination of many different kinds of biological molecules. A direct strategy to approach the second part of the mystery is the constructive approach, in which life-specific functions are recreated in a test tube from specific biological molecules. Using this approach, we are able to employ design principles to reproduce life-specific functions, and the knowledge gained through the reproduction process provides clues as to their origins. In this mini-review, we introduce recent insights gained using this approach, and propose important future directions for advancing our understanding of the origins of life.

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