The replication of genetic information is closely linked to the origin of life. The molecular basis of replication is genetic copying, a reaction in which the sequence of a template strand is transmitted to a copy. In cells, genetic copying is catalyzed by polymerases, which, in turn, are encoded in genes, making the origin of replication a difficult evolutionary problem. One proposal how this...
Some of the most interesting open questions about the origins of life and molecular sciences center on chemical evolution and the spontaneous generation of new complex and functional chemical species. The spectacular polymers that underlay biology demonstrate an untapped, by modern science, creative potential. We hypothesized that prebiotic chemical evolutionary processes leading to...
Over the past few centuries, biologists have revealed an exhaustive list of the molecular components of life and their interactions. So, why can’t we synthesize life from scratch? A critical challenge in understanding the synthesis and origin of life is to understand how bioactivity could be regulated in prebiotic environments. We are studying how Lipid membranes can serve as organizational...
