Forget the selfish gene: Evolution of life is driven by the selfish ribosome, research suggests What came first in the evolution of life? Until now, scientists have answered the question with three letters: DNA. But In a father-daughter collaboration published in Journal of Theoretical Biology, Dr. Meredith Root-Bernstein, Aarhus University, Denmark, and Dr. Robert Root-Bernstein, Michigan State University, USA, provide evidence that the question should rather be answered with the word: Ribosomes. The ribosome is a large and complex molecule found in all living cells. It contains the machinery for translating the genetic information from DNA into the proteins that perform all the work of the cell and make up most of its structure. Ribosomes are made of three protein-encrusted RNA strands that textbooks tell us are purely structural, but we show that ribosomal RNA once acted as the genes, mRNAs and tRNAs required to make its own components -- and gave rise to these structures in modern cells, says Dr. Meredith Root-Bernstein. For more: sciencedaily/releases/2015/01/150107101405.htm
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 06:57:44 +0000
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