A Tiny RNA Enzyme Edges the RNA World Toward Self-Replication

Researchers report QT45, a small polymerase ribozyme that can copy its own RNA and its template, demonstrating two crucial steps toward self-replication and bolstering the RNA world hypothesis; while not yet fully self-replicating, QT45 is smaller and more plausible to arise in prebiotic conditions than earlier ribozymes, discovered by screening trillions of random RNAs under cold conditions, with next steps to improve speed and yield.