DNA is the main hereditary material of all life. However, DNA lacks one important characteristic for the first forms of life. Why have researchers rejected the idea that DNA was found in the first life-form?

Question

Lukas Espinoza

Biology

19 August, 12:42

DNA is the main hereditary material of all life. However, DNA lacks one important characteristic for the first forms of life. Why have researchers rejected the idea that DNA was found in the first life-form?

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Answers (1)

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Olive Dorsey · Answer 1

The inability to function as catalyst.

Explanation:

DNA is the genetic material present in all organism except some viruses. DNA shows all the properties to work as the genetic material according to the today's environment.

Researchers believe that DNA was not the first genetic material in the early environment. The genetic material should have the catalytic activity in the early forms of life and DNA cannot work as the catalyst. The catalytic property of the genetic material is important in the early, rapid and changing environment. Hence, DNA was not the genetic material in early forms of life.

Thus, the answer is inability of DNA to function as catalyst.