The Way forward for the Origin of Life: Prions and Prion-Like Molecules First Hypothesis
In this paper the hypothesis that prions and prion-like molecules could have initiated the chemical evolutionary process which led to the eventual emergence of life is reappraised. The prions first hypothesis is a specific application of the protein-first hypothesis which asserts that protein-based...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/9/872 |
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| author | Sohan Jheeta Elias Chatzitheodoridis Kevin Devine Janice Block |
| author_facet | Sohan Jheeta Elias Chatzitheodoridis Kevin Devine Janice Block |
| author_sort | Sohan Jheeta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this paper the hypothesis that prions and prion-like molecules could have initiated the chemical evolutionary process which led to the eventual emergence of life is reappraised. The prions first hypothesis is a specific application of the protein-first hypothesis which asserts that protein-based chemical evolution preceded the evolution of genetic encoding processes. This genetics-first hypothesis asserts that an “RNA-world era” came before protein-based chemical evolution and rests on a singular premise that molecules such as RNA, acetyl-CoA, and NAD are relics of a long line of chemical evolutionary processes preceding the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA). Nevertheless, we assert that prions and prion-like molecules may also be relics of chemical evolutionary processes preceding LUCA. To support this assertion is the observation that prions and prion-like molecules are involved in a plethora of activities in contemporary biology in both complex (eukaryotes) and primitive life forms. Furthermore, a literature survey reveals that small RNA virus genomes harbor information about prions (and amyloids). If, as has been presumed by proponents of the genetics-first hypotheses, small viruses were present during an RNA world era and were involved in some of the earliest evolutionary processes, this places prions and prion-like molecules potentially at the heart of the chemical evolutionary process whose eventual outcome was life. We deliberate on the case for prions and prion-like molecules as the frontier molecules at the dawn of evolution of living systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:31:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ebfbc4d6f3144eed9dde21d459775eef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:31:24Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-ebfbc4d6f3144eed9dde21d459775eef2023-11-22T13:55:10ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292021-08-0111987210.3390/life11090872The Way forward for the Origin of Life: Prions and Prion-Like Molecules First HypothesisSohan Jheeta0Elias Chatzitheodoridis1Kevin Devine2Janice Block3Network of Researchers on the Chemical Evolution of Life (NoRCEL), Leeds LS7 3RB, UKDepartment of Geological Sciences, National Technical University of Athens, 157 80 Athens, GreeceThe School of Human Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London N7 8DB, UKLeumit Health Services, Beit Shemesh 9956504, IsraelIn this paper the hypothesis that prions and prion-like molecules could have initiated the chemical evolutionary process which led to the eventual emergence of life is reappraised. The prions first hypothesis is a specific application of the protein-first hypothesis which asserts that protein-based chemical evolution preceded the evolution of genetic encoding processes. This genetics-first hypothesis asserts that an “RNA-world era” came before protein-based chemical evolution and rests on a singular premise that molecules such as RNA, acetyl-CoA, and NAD are relics of a long line of chemical evolutionary processes preceding the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA). Nevertheless, we assert that prions and prion-like molecules may also be relics of chemical evolutionary processes preceding LUCA. To support this assertion is the observation that prions and prion-like molecules are involved in a plethora of activities in contemporary biology in both complex (eukaryotes) and primitive life forms. Furthermore, a literature survey reveals that small RNA virus genomes harbor information about prions (and amyloids). If, as has been presumed by proponents of the genetics-first hypotheses, small viruses were present during an RNA world era and were involved in some of the earliest evolutionary processes, this places prions and prion-like molecules potentially at the heart of the chemical evolutionary process whose eventual outcome was life. We deliberate on the case for prions and prion-like molecules as the frontier molecules at the dawn of evolution of living systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/9/872prionsamyloidsorigin of lifeLUCARNARNA viruses |
| spellingShingle | Sohan Jheeta Elias Chatzitheodoridis Kevin Devine Janice Block The Way forward for the Origin of Life: Prions and Prion-Like Molecules First Hypothesis Life prions amyloids origin of life LUCA RNA RNA viruses |
| title | The Way forward for the Origin of Life: Prions and Prion-Like Molecules First Hypothesis |
| title_full | The Way forward for the Origin of Life: Prions and Prion-Like Molecules First Hypothesis |
| title_fullStr | The Way forward for the Origin of Life: Prions and Prion-Like Molecules First Hypothesis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Way forward for the Origin of Life: Prions and Prion-Like Molecules First Hypothesis |
| title_short | The Way forward for the Origin of Life: Prions and Prion-Like Molecules First Hypothesis |
| title_sort | way forward for the origin of life prions and prion like molecules first hypothesis |
| topic | prions amyloids origin of life LUCA RNA RNA viruses |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/9/872 |
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