Emergence of life: from functional RNA selection to natural selection and beyond.

@article{Wong2014EmergenceOL,
  title={Emergence of life: from functional RNA selection to natural selection and beyond.},
  author={Jeffrey Tze-Fei Wong},
  journal={Frontiers in bioscience},
  year={2014},
  volume={19},
  pages={
          1117-50
        }
}
  • J. Wong
  • Published 1 June 2014
  • Biology
  • Frontiers in bioscience
This study tracks the rise, evolution and post-evolution of the genetic information system through emergence of life. The major stages traversed include prebiotic synthesis, functional RNA selection by metabolite, RNA World, peptidated RNA world, co-evolution of genetic code and amino acid biosynthesis, last universal common ancestor, Darwinian evolution and synthetic life. 
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12 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
5
Background Citations
7
Methods Citations
1
Results Citations
1

12 Citations

Coevolution Theory of the Genetic Code at Age Forty: Pathway to Translation and Synthetic Life
TLDR
Coevolution of the genetic code with amino acid biosynthesis generated tRNA paralogs that identify a last universal common ancestor (LUCA) of extant life close to Methanopyrus, which in turn points to archaeal tRNA introns as the most primitive introns and the anticodon usage of Methanipyrus as an ancient mode of wobble.
The Origin of Prebiotic Information System in the Peptide/RNA World: A Simulation Model of the Evolution of Translation and the Genetic Code
TLDR
An evolutionary explanation is proposed: the demand for a wide range of protein enzymes over peptides in the prebiotic reactions was the main selective pressure for the origin of information-directed protein synthesis, resulting in the coevolution of translation machines and the genetic code.
Pathways of Genetic Code Evolution in Ancient and Modern Organisms
TLDR
The factors that are most important in these two phases of evolution of the genetic code are discussed, and it is argued that these are substantially different.
The Origin of Genetic Code and Translation in the Framework of Current Concepts on the Origin of Life.
The origin of genetic code and translation system is probably the central and most difficult problem in the investigations on the origin of life and one of the most complex problems in the…
Future of the Genetic Code
TLDR
Evidence suggests that the problem of anticodons as identity elements can be diminished or resolved through removal from the tRNA of all identity elements besides the anticodon, and theproblem of misreading of NNY codons by UNN anticodon can be resolved by the retirement of both the UNN and its complementary NNA codon from the proteome.
The Stereochemical Basis of the Genetic Code and the (Mostly) Autotrophic Origin of Life
TLDR
It is argued that although simple abiotic molecules must have primed proto-metabolic pathways, only Darwinian evolving systems could have generated life.
The Origin of the Information System in the RNA/Protein World: A Simulation Model of the Evolution of Translation and the Genetic Code
TLDR
A new symbiotic model for the origin of life within the hydrothermal crater lakes is proposed and three main concepts on the origin and evolution of the genetic code are reviewed: the stereochemical theory, the coevolution theory, and adaptive theory are reviewed.
Arguments Reinforcing the Three-Domain View of Diversified Cellular Life
TLDR
AAS is evaluated against the traditional “three-domain” world of cellular organisms and it is proposed that the discovery of Lokiarchaeota could be better reconciled under the latter view, especially in light of several additional biological and technical considerations.
A Tree of Cellular Life Inferred from a Genomic Census of Molecular Functions
TLDR
The results indicate that functionomic data represent a useful addition to the set of molecular characters used for tree reconstruction and that trees of cellular life carry in deep branches considerable predictive power to explain the evolution of living organisms.
Factors in Protobiomonomer Selection for the Origin of the Standard Genetic Code.
TLDR
The body of data on the evolution of the genetic code system indicates that the elemental composition and molecular structure of protobiomonomers, and their M, Tm, photostability, and aqueous solubility determined their selection in the emergence of the standard genetic code.
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