To verify this "
RNA World Hypothesis," researchers face two challenges.
(9) According to the
RNA World Hypothesis, the first living system was a polymer(s) of catalytic RNA capable of self-replication that subsequently evolved the ability to encode more versatile peptide catalysts.
To support the
RNA world hypothesis, numerous artificial RNA enzymes (ribozymes) have been isolated by the powerful combinatorial technique called SELEX.
Among the most challenging questions for the
RNA world hypothesis is, What would have been the source of the RNA nucleotides?
Fans of the
RNA world hypothesis, a scenario in which life began with RNA and later added DNA and proteins to its repertoire, are therefore seeking to create self-replicating RNA molecules to mirror those with which life on Earth might have originated.