Washington, D.C.—An international team of researchers has used computational modeling to simulate the early evolution of cells and found clues to how the first life forms might have packaged their RNA.
RNA is a molecule that plays a vital role in the synthesis of proteins. It is thought that RNA was the first self-replicating molecule and that it eventually evolved into DNA, the molecule that stores genetic information in living organisms.
The researchers, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Vienna, built a computational model of a protocell, a simple cell-like structure that is thought to have been the precursor to modern cells. The model included a membrane, a cytoplasm, and a nucleus.
The researchers then simulated the evolution of the protocell over time. They found that the protocell eventually evolved a mechanism for packaging RNA into membrane-bound vesicles. These vesicles protected the RNA from degradation and allowed it to be transported to different parts of the cell.
The researchers believe that their model provides a possible explanation for how the first life forms might have packaged their RNA. They say that the model could also help to explain the origin of membrane-bound organelles, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts.
The research is published in the journal Nature Communications.
