Editing RNA (section)

=== Relevance for prebiotic chemistry and abiogenesis ===
In 1968, [[Carl Woese]] hypothesized that RNA might be catalytic and suggested that the earliest forms of life (self-replicating molecules) could have relied on RNA both to carry genetic information and to catalyze biochemical reactions—an [[RNA world hypothesis|RNA world]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://deposit.ddb.de/cgi-bin/dokserv?idn=982323891&dok_var=d1&dok_ext=pdf&filename=982323891.pdf|title=Common sequence structure properties and stable regions in RNA secondary structures|date=2006|work=Dissertation, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität, Freiburg im Breisgau|page=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309212648/http://deposit.ddb.de/cgi-bin/dokserv?idn=982323891&dok_var=d1&dok_ext=pdf&filename=982323891.pdf|archive-date=March 9, 2012|url-status=dead|vauthors=Siebert S}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Szathmáry E | title = The origin of the genetic code: amino acids as cofactors in an RNA world | journal = Trends in Genetics | volume = 15 | issue = 6 | pages = 223–29 | date = June 1999 | pmid = 10354582 | doi = 10.1016/S0168-9525(99)01730-8 }}</ref> In May 2022, scientists discovered that RNA can form spontaneously on prebiotic [[Volcanic glass|basalt lava glass]], presumed to have been abundant on the [[early Earth]].<ref name="AST-20220519">{{cite journal |author=Jerome, Craig A. |display-authors=et al. |title=Catalytic Synthesis of Polyribonucleic Acid on Prebiotic Rock Glasses |date=19 May 2022 |journal=[[Astrobiology (journal)|Astrobiology]] |volume=22 |issue=6 |pages=629–636 |doi=10.1089/ast.2022.0027 |pmid=35588195 |pmc=9233534 |bibcode=2022AsBio..22..629J |s2cid=248917871 }}</ref><ref name="PO-20220603">{{cite news |author=Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution |title=Scientists announce a breakthrough in determining life's origin on Earth—and maybe Mars |url=https://phys.org/news/2022-06-scientists-breakthrough-life-earthand-mars.html |date=3 June 2022 |work=[[Phys.org]] |accessdate=3 June 2022 }}</ref>

In March 2015, [[DNA]] and RNA [[nucleobase]]s, including [[uracil]], [[cytosine]] and [[thymine]], were reportedly formed in the laboratory under [[outer space]] conditions, using starter chemicals such as [[pyrimidine]], an [[organic compound]] commonly found in [[meteorite]]s. [[Pyrimidine]], like [[polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons]] (PAHs), is one of the most carbon-rich compounds found in the [[universe]] and may have been formed in [[red giant]]s or in [[Cosmic dust|interstellar dust]] and gas clouds.<ref name="NASA-20150303">{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-ames-reproduces-the-building-blocks-of-life-in-laboratory|title=NASA Ames Reproduces the Building Blocks of Life in Laboratory|last=Marlaire|first=Ruth|name-list-style=vanc|date=3 March 2015|work=[[NASA]]|access-date=5 March 2015|archive-date=5 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305083306/http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-ames-reproduces-the-building-blocks-of-life-in-laboratory/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In July 2022, astronomers reported massive amounts of [[Abiogenesis#Producing molecules: prebiotic synthesis|prebiotic molecule]]s, including possible RNA precursors, in the [[Galactic Center|galactic center]] of the [[Milky Way Galaxy]].<ref name="SA-20220708">{{cite news |last=Starr |first=Michelle |title=Loads of Precursors For RNA Have Been Detected in The Center of Our Galaxy |url=https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-found-a-bunch-of-rna-precursors-in-the-galactic-center |date=8 July 2022 |work=[[ScienceAlert]] |accessdate=9 July 2022 }}</ref><ref name="FASS-20220708">{{cite journal |author=Rivilla, Victor M. |display-authors=et al. |title=Molecular Precursors of the RNA-World in Space: New Nitriles in the G+0.693–0.027 Molecular Cloud |date=8 July 2022 |journal=[[Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences]] |volume=9 |page=876870 |doi=10.3389/fspas.2022.876870 |arxiv=2206.01053 |bibcode=2022FrASS...9.6870R |doi-access=free }}</ref>