Why do researchers think the first self-replicating molecule was RNA?
A) RNA is the only type of molecule that can catalyze a chemical reaction.
B) RNA can carry information and catalyze chemical reactions.
C) Self-replicating molecules of RNA exist today, in human cells.
D) Fossil evidence of such a molecule was recently discovered.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

RNA is believed to have been the first self-replicating molecule because it is capable of both carrying information and catalyzing chemical reactions. This property allows RNA to act both as a template for copying genetic information and as an enzyme to speed up the reactions necessary for replication. Although self-replicating RNA molecules do exist today in some living organisms, this is not the primary reason why researchers believe RNA was the first self-replicating molecule. There is no fossil evidence of such a molecule that has been discovered so far. Finally, choice A is incorrect because there are other types of molecules, such as certain proteins, that can also catalyze chemical reactions.

Why Do Researchers Think the First Self-Replicating Molecule Was RNA