Synthetic approaches to investigate artificial living systems by RNA self-replicating ribozymes

科学的主要目标之一是解决生命起源的问题：生命系统是如何从核酸等化学分子中进化出来的？在生物体中，RNA既可以作为信息分子，也可以作为催化剂。这种二元性是生命起源理论中RNA世界假说的前提。特别是RNA核酶被认为是原始生命中最重要的分子之一，它可以促进自我复制反应。为了验证RNA是否具有自我复制的潜力，我们构建了一种新的RNA自组装核酶，它可以进行进化的RNA自我复制反应。人工设计的体外选择性连接酶核酶被用作自组装核酶的原型。我们认为，我们的系统暗示了RNA三级基序在RNA世界早期RNA分子进化中的意义。此外，我们还设计了合成的RNA序列，用于制作更高阶膜状结构。荧光显微镜下可观察到巨大的膜结构。应对其形成条件进行调查，并将结果作为研究文章报告。这些结果可能提供了一个可能的RNA世界，在这个世界中，复制子和隔室都可以由RNA制造。这一概念可能为研究生命起源的问题提供了另一种方式。

One of the main goals in science is to solve the problem of origin of life: How evolvable living systems have emerged from chemical molecules such as nucleic acids? RNA can function both as an informational molecule and as a catalyst in living organisms. This duality is the premise of the RNA world hypothesis in the origin of life theory. Specially, it is believed that RNA ribozyme that facilitates self-replicating reaction is one of the most essential molecules in primitive life. To verify whether RNA has the potential for self-replication, we constructed a new RNA self-assembling ribozyme that could have conducted an evolvable RNA self-replication reaction. The artificially designed, in vitro selected ligase ribozyme was employed as a prototype for a self-assembling ribozyme. We propose that our system implies the significance of RNA tertiary motifs in the early RNA molecular evolution of the RNA world. Furthermore, we designed the synthetic RNA sequence for making higher-order membrane like structure. Giant membrane structure might be observed by using fluorescence microscopy. Their forming condition should be investigated and the result should be reported as a research article. These results may provide a possible RNA world in which both replicator and the compartment could be made by RNA. This concept might provide an alternative way to investigate the problem of the origin of life.