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Published online 12 June 2009 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2009.563

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Tantalizing clues to the chemical origins of life

A synthetic molecule can reshuffle itself to match a DNA template.

Chemists in the United States have made an artificial DNA-like molecule that can change its sequence to bind to a DNA template without the help of enzymes. The findings could shed light on how molecules underpinning life were first able to emerge from a chemical soup.

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  • There could be tons of distinict scenarios about the very origin of life in theory. But only one of them was chosen by evolution very possibly to a large extent by chance. No one can claim holy grail before he develops his scenario to the stage where it can be obiviously connected to the observable reality of life.

    • 13 Jun, 2009
    • Posted by: Xiao Yi