Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Relics from the RNA world

D C Jeffares¹, A M Poole, D Penny

¹Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Massey University, PO Box 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Journal of Molecular Evolution

|March 7, 1998

Summary

The study identifies ancient RNA relics to reconstruct the last RNA-based organism. This ancient life form possessed a complex, fragmented RNA genome with sophisticated processing capabilities before protein synthesis emerged.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

IsProchlorothrix hollandica the best choice as a prokaryotic model for higher plant Chla/b photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis research·2013

Same author

Progress with methods for constructing evolutionary trees.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011

Same author

Recovering evolutionary trees under a more realistic model of sequence evolution.

Molecular biology and evolution·2009

Same author

Genomics and the irreducible nature of eukaryote cells.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2006

Same author

The MinMax Squeeze: guaranteeing a minimal tree for population data.

Molecular biology and evolution·2004

Same author

Outgroup misplacement and phylogenetic inaccuracy under a molecular clock--a simulation study.

Systematic biology·2003

Area of Science:

Origin of Life Studies
Evolutionary Biology
Biochemistry

Background:

The RNA world hypothesis posits RNA as the primary catalyst before proteins.
A transition to protein catalysis suggests RNA's catalytic roles diminished after protein synthesis evolved.
Identifying RNA relics helps understand life's early stages.

Purpose of the Study:

To establish criteria for identifying RNA relics from the RNA world.
To estimate the complexity of the last ribo-organism preceding protein synthesis.
To model the genome and functions of this early RNA-based life form.

Main Methods:

Deriving criteria to identify RNA relics in modern organisms.
Analyzing the function and phylogenetic distribution of these RNA remnants.
Inferring the characteristics of the last ribo-organism based on identified RNA relics.

Main Results:

The last ribo-organism had a complex, fragmented, double-stranded linear RNA genome.
This organism featured RNA processing, recombination, editing, and transport functions.
Its genome likely included a large protoribosome and pre-tRNA processing machinery.

Conclusions:

The last ribo-organism achieved significant complexity despite replication fidelity limits.
This model provides an alternative to sequence data for rooting the tree of life.
Understanding RNA relics illuminates the transition from an RNA world to protein-based life.

Related Experiment Videos