Shocking research on the origin of life on Earth

New research shows that life on the Green planet was formed before the most essential element for this process was oxygen.

The research author is Professor Loren Williams and PhD Student Chiaolong Hsiao, at the Department of Biochemistry of Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, Georgia, USA). The research results are published in the journal Nature Chemistry on May 19, 2013.

Research shows that the basic elements of life, the process of life formation may have developed very early on Earth and independent of the production of DNA from RNA as we often see today.

Is life before oxygen appears? (Photo: topdesignmag)

RNA or RNA is ribonucleic acid - one of two types of nucleic acid, a genetic basis at the molecular level. Meanwhile, DNA is a nucleic acid molecule that carries the genetic information encoded for the growth and development of organic matter.

This study demonstrates that: 3 billion years ago, RNA could have used iron as a single electron transport catalyst to produce DNA in an environment free of oxygen. This view has been proposed but has never been proven experimentally until this new study is completed.

This is the first study to demonstrate that RNA can catalyze single electron transport in an iron environment without oxygen. This process takes place with 10 different types of RNA.

Electronic transport is extremely necessary for basic life processes such as RNA DNA building, photosynthesis and respiration.

Three billion years ago, the Earth did not exist free oxygen (O ₂ ). When oxygen begins to form by photosynthesis of plants, all iron on Earth is oxidized. Oxidized iron ore cannot be used as an electronic transporter of RNA.