Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Non-paradoxical Pathway for the Chemical Evolution Toward the Most Primitive RNA-Based Life-like System

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Evolution, Origin of Life, Concepts and Methods

  • 1141 Accesses

Abstract

Although the RNA world hypothesis is an important hypothesis for the origin-of-life study, it involves drawbacks that should be evaluated. These drawbacks involve unknown points. First, several steps from inorganic materials to the functional RNA molecules are not yet clarified. Second, the simulation experiments for the prebiotic accumulation of RNA seem to be incompatible with the Hadean Earth environments. Third, the actual feature of the RNA world has not been identified. Here, we carried out possible simulation experiments for the chemical evolution of RNA using our hydrothermal flow reactor systems. We recently proposed the two-gene hypothesis for the emergence of life-like systems from simple chemical networks. Following the same methodology, here, we attempted to combine the knowledge obtained from experimental data on the chemical evolution of RNA and the theoretical work to deduce a realistic feature of the RNA-based life-like system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Akanuma S, Nakajima Y, Yokoboria S, Kimura M, Nemoto N, Mase T, Miyazono K, Tanokura M, Yamagishia A (2013) Experimental evidence for the thermophilicity of ancestral life. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 110:11067–11072

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Blank JG, Miller GH, Ahrens MJ, Winans RE (2001) Experimental shock chemistry of aqueous amino acid solutions and the cometary delivery of prebiotic compounds. Orig Life Evol Biosphe 31:15–51

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boillot F, Chabin A, Buré C, Venet M, Belsky A, Bertrand-Urbaniak M, Delmas A, Brack A, Barbier B (2002) The perseus exobiology mission on MIR: behaviour of amino acids and peptides in Earth orbit. Orig Life Evol Biosph 32:359–385

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buick R, Thornett JR, Mcnaughton NJ, Smith JB, Barley ME, Savage M (1995) Record of emergent continental-crust similar-to-3.5 billion years ago in the Pilbara craton of Australia. Nature 375:574–577

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cech TR (1986) A model for the RNA-catalyzed replication of RNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:4360–4363

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cech TR, Zaung AJ, Grabowski PJ (1981) In vitro splicing of the ribosomal RNA precousor of Tetrahymena: involvement of a guanosine nucleotide in the excision of the intervening sequence. Cell 27:487–496

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cleaves HJ, Aubrey AD, Bada JL (2009) An evaluation of the critical parameters for abiotic peptide synthesis in submarine hydrothermal systems. Orig Life Evol Biosph 39:109–126

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corliss JB, Baross JA, Hoffman SE (1981) An hypothesis concerning the relationship between submarine hot springs and the origin of life on Earth. Oceanol Acta 4:59–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Costanzo G, Saladino R, Crestini C, Ciciriello F, Di Mauro E (2007) Nucleoside phosphorylation by phosphate minerals. J Biol Chem 282:16729–16735

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Costanzo G, Pino S, Ciciriello F, Di Mauro E (2009) Generation of long RNA chains in water. J Biol Chem 284:33206–33216

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Copley SD, Smith E, Morowitz HJ (2007) The origin of the RNA world: Co-evolution of genes and metabolism. Bioorg Chem 35:430–443

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cowan DA (2004) The upper temperature for life—where do we draw the line? Trends Microbiol 12(2):58–60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2003.12.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crick F (1970) Central dogma of molecular biology. Nature 227:561–563

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crick FHC (1968) The origin of the genetic code. J Mol Biol 38:367–379

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Da Silva L, Maurel M-C, Deamer D (2015) Salt-promoted synthesis of RNA-like molecules in simulated hydrothermal conditions. J Mol Evol 80:86–97

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eigen M (1971) Self-organization of matter and the evolution of biological macromolecules. Naturwissenschaften 65:7–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eigen M, Shuster O (1979) The hypercycle. A principle of natural self-organization. Part B: the abstract hypercycle. Naturwissenschaften 58:465–523

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellington AD, Szostak JW (1990) In vitro selection of RNA molecules that bind specific ligands. Nature 346:818–822

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El-Murr N, Maurel M-C, Rihova M, Vergne J, Hervé G, Kato M, Kawamura K (2012) Behavior of a hammerhead ribozyme in aqueous solution at medium to high temperatures. Naturwissenschaften 99:731–738

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ertem G, Ferris JP (1996) Synthesis of RNA oligomers on heterogeneous templates. Nature 379:238–240

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fakhrai H, Inoue T, Orgel LE (1984) Temperature-dependence of the template-directed synthesis of oligoguanylates. Tetrahedron 40(1):39–45

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris JP (2002) Montmorillonite catalysis of 30–50 mer oligonucleotides: laboratory demonstration of potential steps in the origin of the RNA world. Orig Life Evol Biosph 32:311–332

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris JP, Ertem G (1992) Oligomerization of ribonucleotides on montmorillonite: reaction of the 5′-phosphorimidazolide of adenosine. Science 257:1387–1389

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris JP, Sanchez RA, Orgel LE (1968) Studies in prebiotic synthesis: III. Synthesis of pyrimidines from cyanoacetylene and cyanate. J Mol Biol 33:693–704

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferris JP, Hill AR, Liu JR, Orgel LE (1996) Synthesis of long prebiotic oligomers on mineral surfaces. Nature 381:59–61

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fuller WD, Sanchez RA, Orgel LE (1972a) Studies in prebiotic synthesis VI. Synthesis of purine nucleosides. J Mol Biol 67:25–33

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fuller WD, Sanchez RA, Orgel LE (1972b) Studies in prebiotic synthesis VII. Solid-state synthesis of purine nucleosides. J Mol Evol 1:249–257

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Furukawa Y, Sekine T, Oba M, Kakegawa T, Nakazawa H (2009) Biomolecule formation by oceanic impacts on early Earth. Nat Geosci 2:62–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galtier N, Tourasse N, Gouy M (1999) A nonhyperthermophilic common ancestor to extant life forms. Science 283:220–221

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert W (1986) Origin of life: the RNA world. Nature 319:618

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gontareva NB, Kuzicheva EA, Shelegedin VN (2009) Synthesis and characterization of peptides after high-energy impact on the icy matrix: Preliminary step for further UV-induced formation. Planet Space Sci 57:441–445

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gough DO (1981) Solar interior structure and luminosity variations. Solar Phys 74:21–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guerrier-Takada C, Gardiner K, Marsh T, Pace N, Altman S (1983) The RNA moiety of ribonuclease P is the catalytic sybuit of the enzyme. Cell 35:849–857

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison TM (2009) The Hadean Crust: Evidence from >4 Ga Zircons. Ann rev Earth Planet Sci 37:479–505

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harrison JP, Gheeraert N, Tsigelnitskiy D, Cockell CS (2013) The limits for life under multiple extremes. Trends Microbiol 21(4):204–212

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Higgs PG, Lehman N (2015) The RNA World: molecular cooperation at the origins of life. Nat Rev Gene 16:7–17. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg3841

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hill AR Jr, Orgel LE, Wu T (1993) The limits of template-directed synthesis with nucleoside-5′-phosphoro(2-methyl) imidazolides. Orig Life Evol Biosph 23:285–290

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hogeweg P, Takeuchi N (2003) Multilevel selection in models of prebiotic evolution: compartments and spatial self-organization. Orig Life Evol Biosph 33:375–403

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Horning DP, Joyce GF (2016) Amplification of RNA by an RNA polymerase ribozyme. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 113:9786–9791

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ikehara K (2005) Possible steps to the emergence of life: the [GADV]-protein world hypothesis. Chem Rec 5:107–118

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ikehara K (2009) Pseudo-replication of [GADV]-proteins and origin of life. Int J Mol Sci 10:1525–1537. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms10041525

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Imai E, Honda H, Hatori K, Brack A, Matsuno K (1999a) Elongation of oligopeptides in a simulated submarine hydrothermal system. Science 283:831–833

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Imai E, Honda H, Hatori K, Matsuno K (1999b) Autocatalytic synthesis of oligoglycine in a simulated submarine hydrothermal system. Orig Life Evol Biosph 29:249–259

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue T, Orgel LE (1982) Oligomerization of (guanosine 5′-phosphor)-2-methyl-imidazolide on poly(C), an RNA polymerase model. J Mol Biol 162:201–217

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue T, Orgel LE (1983) A nonenzymatic RNA polymerase model. Science 219:859–862

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Islam MN, Kaneko T, Kobayashi K (2003) Reaction of amino acids in a Supercritical water-flow reactor simulating submarine hydrothermal systems. Bull Chem Soc Jpn 76:1171–1178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston WK, Unrau PJ, Lawrence MS, Glasner ME, Bartel DP (2001) RNA-catalyzed RNA polymerization: accurate and general RNA-templated primer extension. Science 292:1319–1325

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joyce GF (2002) The antiquity of RNA based evolution. Nature 418:214–221

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joyce GF, Szostak JW (2018) Protocells and RNA self-replication. Cold Spring Harbor Per Biol 10(9):a034801. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a034801

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joyce GF, Inoue T, Orgel LE (1984) Non-enzymatic template-directed synthesis on RNA random copolymers, poly(C, U) templates. J Mol Evol 176:278–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser RI, Stockton AM, Kim YS, Jensen EC, Mathies RA (2013) On the formation of dipeptides in interstellar model ices. Astrophys J 765:111. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/765/2/111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanavarioti A, Bernasconi CF, Alberas DJ, Baird EE (1993) Kinetic dissection of individual steps on the poly(c)-directed oligoguanylate synthesis from guanosine 5′-monophosphate 2-methylimidazolide. J Am Chem Soc 115(19):8537–8546

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kasting JF (1993) Earth’s early atmosphere. Science 259:920–926

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kauffman S (1986) Autocatalytic sets of proteins. J Theor Biol 119:1–24

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kauffman S (2007) Question 1: origin of life and the living state. Orig Life Evol Biosph 37:315–322

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (1998) Kinetic analysis of hydrothermal reactions by flow tube reactor—hydrolysis of adenosine 5′-triphosphate at 398–573 K. Nippon Kagaku Kaishi 255–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (1999) Monitoring of hydrothermal reactions in 3 ms using fused-silica capillary tubing. Chem Lett 28:125–126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2000) Monitoring hydrothermal reactions on the millisecond time scale using a micro-tube flow reactor and kinetics of ATP hydrolysis for the RNA world hypothesis. Bull Chem Soc Jpn 73:1805–1811

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2001) Hydrolytic stability of ribose phosphodiester bonds within several oligonucleotides at high temperatures using a real-time monitoring method for hydrothermal reactions. Chem Lett 30(11):1120–1121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2002a) In situ UV-VIS detection of hydrothermal reactions using fused-silica capillary tubing within 0.08–3.2 s at high temperatures. Anal Sci 18:715–716

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2002b) The origin of life from the life of subjectivity. In: Palyi G, Zucchi C, Caglioti L (eds) Fundamentals of life. Elsevier, Paris, pp 563–574

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2003a) Kinetics and activation parameter analyses of hydrolysis and interconversion of 2′,5′- and 3′,5′-linked dinucleoside monophosphate at extremely high temperatures. Biochim Biophys Acta 1620:199–210

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2003b) Kinetic analysis of cleavage of ribose phosphodiester bond within guanine and cytosine rich oligonucleotides and dinucleotides at 65–200 & °C and its implications on the chemical evolution of RNA. Bull Chem Soc Jpn 76:153–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2003c) The relative importance of genes, subjectivity, and self-organization for the origin and evolution of life. In: Levit GS, Popov IY, Hossfeld U, Breidbach O (eds) In the shadow of Darwinism: alternative evolutionary theories in the 20th century. Fineday-press, St-Petersburg, pp 218–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2004) Behavior of RNA under hydrothermal conditions and the origins of life. Inter J Astrobiol 3:301–309

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2005) A new probe for the indirect measurement of the conformation and interaction of biopolymers at extremely high temperatures using a capillary flow hydrothermal reactor system for UV-visible spectrophotometry. Anal Chim Acta 543(1–2):236–241

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2007) Civilization as a biosystem examined by the comparative analysis of biosystems. BioSystems 90(1):139–150

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2010) Temperature limit for the emergence of life-like system deduced from the prebiotic chemical kinetics under the hydrothermal conditions. In: Fellermann H, Dörr M, Hanczyc MM, Lauren LL, Maurer S, Merkle D, Monnard P-A, Støy K, Rasmussen S (eds) Proceedings of the twelfth international conference on the simulation and synthesis of living systems, pp 37–44

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2011) Development of micro-flow hydrothermal monitoring systems and their applications to the origin of life study on earth. Anal Sci 27(7):675–683

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2012a) Drawbacks of the ancient RNA-based life-like system under primitive earth conditions. Biochimie 94(7):1441–1450

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2012b) Reality of the emergence of life-like systems from simple prebiotic polymers on primitive earth. In: Seckbach J, Gordon R (eds) Genesis—in the beginning: precursors of life, chemical models and early biological evolution. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 123–144

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2016) A hypothesis: life initiated from two genes, as deduced from the RNA world hypothesis and the characteristics of life-like systems. Life 6(3):29

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K (2017) Hydrothermal microflow technology as a research tool for origin-of-life studies in extreme Earth environments. Life 7(4):37

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Ferris JP (1994) Kinetics and mechanistic analysis of dinucleotide and oligonucleotide formation from the 5′-phosphorimidazolide of adenosine on Na+-montmorillonite. J Am Chem Soc 116:7564–7572

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Umehara M (2001) Kinetic analysis of the temperature dependence of the template-directed formation of oligoguanylate from the 5′-phosphorimidazolide of guanosine on a poly(C) template with Zn2+. Bull Chem Soc Jpn 74(5):927–935

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Yukioka M (2001) Kinetics of the racemization of amino acids at 225–275 °C using a real-time monitoring method of hydrothermal reactions. Thermochim Acta 375:9–16

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Maeda J (2008) Kinetics and activation parameter analysis for the prebiotic oligocytidylate formation on Na+-montmorillonite at 0–100 °C. J Phys Chem A 112:8015–8023

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Shimahashi M (2008) One-step formation of oligopeptide-like molecules from Glu and Asp in hydrothermal environments. Naturwissenschaften 95(5):449–454

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Nagayoshi H (2007) Behavior of DNA under hydrothermal conditions with MgCl2 additive using an in situ UV-visible spectrophotometer. Thermochim Acta 466:63–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Maurel M-C (2017) Walking over 4 Gya: chemical evolution from photochemistry to mineral and organic chemistries leading to an RNA world. Orig Life Evol Biopsh 47:281–296

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Yosida A, Matumoto O (1997) Kinetic investigations for the hydrolysis of adenosine 5′-triphosphate at elevated temperatures: Prospects for the chemical evolution of RNA. Viva Origino 25(3):177–197

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Kameyama N, Matumoto O (1999) Kinetics of hydrolysis of ribonucleotide polymers in aqueous solution at elevated temperatures: implications of chemical evolution of RNA and primitive ribonuclease. Viva Origino 27(2):107–118

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Kuranoue K, Nagahama M (2004) Prebiotic inhibitory activity of protein-like molecules to the template-directed formation of oligoguanylate from guanosine 5′-monophosphate 2-methylimidazolide on a polycytidylic acid template. Bull Chem Soc Jpn 77(7):1367–1375

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Nagahama M, Kuranoue K (2005a) Chemical evolution of RNA under hydrothermal conditions and the role of thermal copolymers of amino acids for the prebiotic degradation and formation of RNA. Adv Space Res 35(9):1626–1633

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Nishi T, Sakiyama T (2005b) Consecutive elongation of alanine oligopeptides at the second time range under hydrothermal condition using a micro flow reactor system. J Am Chem Soc 127(2):522–523

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Nagayoshi H, Yao T (2009) Stability of ribonuclease a under hydrothermal conditions in relation to the origin-of-life hypothesis: verification with the hydrothermal micro-flow reactor system. Res Chem Intermed 35:879–891

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Nagayoshi H, Yao T (2010) In situ analysis of proteins at high temperatures mediated by capillary-flow hydrothermal UV-Vis spectrophotometer with a water-soluble chromogenic reagent. Anal Chim Acta 667:88–95

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Takeya H, Kushibe T, Koizumi Y (2011) Mineral-enhanced hydrothermal oligopeptide formation at the second time scale. Astrobiology 11(5):461–469

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Yasuda T, Hatanaka T, Hamahiga K, Matsuda N, Ueshima M Nakai K (2016) Oxidation of aliphatic alcohols and benzyl alcohol by H2O2 under the hydrothermal conditions in the presence of solid-state catalysts using batch and flow reactors. Chem Eng J 285:49–56

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Yasuda T, Hatanaka T, Hamahiga K, Matsuda N, Ueshima M Nakai K (2017) In situ UV-VIS spectrophotometry within the second time scale as a research tool for solid-state catalyst and liquid-phase reactions at high temperatures: Its application to the formation of HMF from glucose and cellulose. Chem Eng J 307:1066–1075

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura K, Konagaya N, Maruoka Y (2018) Enhancement and inhibitory activities of minerals for alanine oligopeptide elongation under hydrothermal conditions. Astrobiology 18(11):1403–1413

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim YE, Higgs PG (2016) Co-operation between polymerases and nucleotide synthetases in the RNA World. Plos Comp Biol 12(11):e1005161. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1005161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Landweber LF (1999) Testing ancient RNA–protein interactions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 96:11067–11068

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Larralde R, Robertson MP, Miller SL (1995) Rates of decomposition of ribose and other sugars: implications for chemical evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 92:8158–8160

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lee DH, Severin K, Yokobayashi Y, Ghadiri MR (1997) Emergence of symbiosis in peptide self-replication through a hypercyclic network. Nature 390:591–594

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lohrmann R (1977) Formation of nucleoside 5′-phosphorimidates under potentially prebiological conditions. J Mol Evol 10:137–154

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lohrmann R, Orgel LE (1973) Prebiotic activation processes. Nature 244:418–420

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martins A, Price MC, Goldman N, Sephton MA, Burchell MJ (2013) Shock synthesis of amino acids from impacting cometary and icy planet surface analogues. Nat Geosci 6:1045–1049

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maruyama S, Ikoma M, Genda H, Hirose K, Yokoyama T, Santosh M (2013) The naked planet earth: most essential pre-requisite for the origin and evolution of life. Geosci Front 4:141–165

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maury CPJ (2009) Self-propagating β-sheet polypeptide structures as prebiotic informational molecular entities: the amyloid world. Orig Life Evol Biosph 39:141–150

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller SL (1953) A production of amino acids under possible primitive Earth conditions. Science 117:528–529

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mojzsis SJ, Arrhenius G, McKeegan KD, Harrison TM, Nutman AP, Friend CRL (1996) Evidence for life on Earth before 3,800 million years ago. Nature 384:55–59

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mojzsis SJ, Harrison TM, Pidgeon RT (2001) Oxygen-isotope evidence from ancient zircons for liquid water at the Earth’s surface 4,300 Myr ago. Nature 409:178–181

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nagafuchi K, Nagira A, Akiyama H, Sasaki M, Kawamura K (2013) Oligopeptide production from alanine monomer by pulsed corona discharge plasma in ambient and supercritical argon. Chem Eng Sci 1(3):41–45. https://doi.org/10.12691/ces-1-3-2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nemoto N, Husimi Y (1995) A model of the virus-type strategy in the early stage of encoded molecular evolution. J Theor Biol 176:67–77

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nemoto N, Miyamoto-Sato E, Husimi Y, Yanagawa H (1997) In vitro virus: bonding of mRNA bearing puromycine at the 30-terminal end to the C-terminal end of its encoded protein on the ribosome in vitro. FEBS Lett 414:405–408

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neveu M, Kim H-J, Benner SA (2013) The “Strong” RNA world hypothesis: fifty years old. Astrobiology 13(4):391–403

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nghe P, Hordijk W, Kauffman SA, Walker SI, Schmidt FJ, Kemble H, Yeates JAM, Lehman N (2015) Prebiotic network evolution: six key parameters. Mol BioSys 11:3206–3217. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5mb00593k

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nutman AP, Friend CRL, Bennett VC (2001) Review of the oldest (4400–3600 Ma) geological and mineralogical record: glimpses of the beginning. Episode 24:93–101

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nutman AP, Bennet VC, Friend CRL, Van Kranendonk M, Chivas AR (2016) Rapid emergence of life shown by discovery of 3,700-million-year-old microbial structures. Nature 537:535–538

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oparin AI (1924) Proiskhozhdenie zhizni. Moscow Izd. Moskovskii Rabochii, Russia

    Google Scholar 

  • Orgel LE (2004) Prebiotic chemistry and the origin of the RNA world. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 39:99–123

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Orgel LE, Crick FH (1993) Anticipating an RNA world. Some past speculations on the origin of life: where are they today? FEBS J 7:238–239

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Orgel LE, Lohrmann R (1974) Prebiotic chemistry and nucleic acid replication. Acc Chem Res 7:368–377

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oró J (1961) Mechanism of synthesis of adenine from hydrogen cyanide under possible primitive earth conditions. Nature 191:1193–1194

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Otake T, Taniguchi T, Furukawa Y, Kawamura F, Nakazawa H, Kakegawa T (2011) Stability of amino acids and their oligomerization under high-pressure conditions: implications for prebiotic chemistry. Astrobiolgy 11:799–813

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pace NR (1991) Origin of life—facing up to the physical setting. Cell 65:531–533

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pasteur L (1861) Mémeoire sur les corpuscules organisés qui existent dans l’atmospère. Examen de la adoctrine des générations spontenées (tran: in Japanese (1970), Yamaguchi S (translated)). Iwanami Bunko, Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Pikuta EV, Hoover RB, Tang J (2007) Microbial extremophiles at the limits of life. Cri Rev Microbiol 33(3):183–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408410701451948

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ponnamperuma C, Mack R (1965) Nucleotide synthesis under possible primitive earth conditions. Science 148:1221–1223

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Radzicka A, Wolfenden R (1995) A proficient enzyme. Science 267:90–93

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reimann E, Zubay G (1999) Nucleoside phosphorylation: a feasible step in the prebiotic pathway to RNA. Orig Life Evol Biosph 29:229–247

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ricardo A, Carrigan MA, Olcott AN, Benner SA (2004) Borate mineral stabilize ribose. Science 303:196

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saladino R, Botta G, Pino S, Costanzoc G, Di Mauro E (2012) Genetics first or metabolism first? The formamide clue. Chem Soc Rev 41:5526–5565

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sanchez RA, Ferris JP, Orgel LE (1966) Cyanoacetylene on prebiotic synthesis. Science 154:784–785

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Santosha M, Arai T, Maruyama S (2017) Hadean earth and primordial continents: The cradle of prebiotic life. Geosci Front 8:309–327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawai H (1976) Catalysis of internucleotide bond formation by divalent metal ions. J Am Chem Soc 98:7037–7039

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sawai H, Kuroda K, Hojo H (1989) Uranyl ion as a highly effective catalyst for internucleotide bond formation. Bull Chem Soc Jpn 62:2018–2023

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawai H, Shibata T, Ohno M (1981) Preparation of oligoadenylares with 20-50 linkage using Pb2+ ion catalyst. Tetrahedron 37:481–485

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schildkraut C, Lifson S (1965) Dependence of the melting temperature of DNA on salt concentration. Biopolymers 3(2):195–208

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwartman DW, Lineweaver CH (2004) The hyperthermophilic origin of life revisited. Biochem Soc Trans 32:168–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro R (1988) Prebiotic ribose synthesis: a critical analysis. Orig Life Evol Biosph 18:71–85

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sleep NH (2018) Geological and geochemical constraints on the origin and evolution of life. Astrobiol 18:1199–1219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stüeken EE, Anderson RE, Bowman JS, Brazelton WJ, Colangelo-Lillis J, Goldman AD, Som SM, Baross JA (2013) Did life originate from a global chemical reactor? Geobiol 11:101–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szostak N, Wasik S, Blazewicz J (2016) Hypercycle. Plos Comp Biol 12(4):e1004853. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1004853

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tuerk C, Gold L (1990) Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment: RNA ligands to bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase. Science 249:505–510

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vaidya N, Manapat ML, Chen IA, Xulvi-Brunet R, Hayden EJ, Lehman N (2012) Spontaneous network formation among cooperative RNA replicators. Nature 491:72–78

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van Zuilen MA, Lepland A, Arrhenius G (2002) Reassessing the evidence for the earliest traces of life. Nature 418:627–630

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vasas V, Fernando C, Santos M, Kauffman S, Szathmáry E (2012) Evolution before genes. Biol Dire 7:1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-6150-7-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waehneldt TV, Fox SW (1967) Phosphorylation of nucleosides with poly-phosphoric acid. Biochim Biophys Acta 134:1–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Watson JD, Crick FHC (1953) Molecular structure of nucleic acids. Nature 171:737–738

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wetmur JG, Davidson N (1968) Kinetics of renaturation of DNA. J Mol Biol 31:349–370

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White RH (1984) Hydrolytic stability of biomolecules at high temperatures and its implication for life at 250 °C. Nature 310:430–432

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu M, Higgs PG (2009) Origin of self-replicating biopolymers: autocatalytic feedback can jump-start the RNA world. J Mol Biol 69:541–554

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamagata Y, Watanabe H, Namba T (1992) Volcanic production of polyphosphates and its relevance to prebiotic evolution. Nature 352:516–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yao S, Ghosh I, Zutshi R, Chmielewski J (1998) Selective amplification by auto- and cross-catalysis in a replicating peptide system. Nature 396:447–450

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zaher HS, Unrau PJ (2007) Selection of an improved RNA polymerase ribozyme with superior extension and fidelity. RNA 13:1017–1026

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Hiroshima Shudo University grant at 2017 and 2018, Aoba Foundation for the Promotion of Engineering 2012, the JSPS KAKENHI Grant JP15H01069 in 2015–2017, and the JSPS KAKENHI Grant JP15K12144 in 2015–2017, and the Bilateral Joint Research Projects/Seminars between the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in 2015–2017.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Environmental Studies, Hiroshima Shudo University, Ozuka-Higashi 1-1-1, Asaminami-Ku, Hiroshima, 731-3195, Japan

    Kunio Kawamura

Authors
  1. Kunio Kawamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kunio Kawamura .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS and IHU, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France

    Pierre Pontarotti

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Kawamura, K. (2019). A Non-paradoxical Pathway for the Chemical Evolution Toward the Most Primitive RNA-Based Life-like System. In: Pontarotti, P. (eds) Evolution, Origin of Life, Concepts and Methods. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-30363-1_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation