Refer to the figure below illustrating the "RNA world" hypothesis. Which statement about this hypothetical evolutionary model is true?
A) It supports the hypothesis that proteins appeared on Earth before nucleic acids.
B) It would be impossible in reality, since RNA is synthesized from DNA.
C) It would require prebiotic synthesis of fatty acids.
D) It is consistent with the activity of modern retroviruses that synthesize DNA.
E) It is inconsistent with the hypothesis that nucleic acids were the first catalysts.

Question

Refer to the figure below illustrating the "RNA world" hypothesis.  Which statement about this hypothetical evolutionary model is true?
A) It supports the hypothesis that proteins appeared on Earth before nucleic acids. 
B) It would be impossible in reality, since RNA is synthesized from DNA. 
C) It would require prebiotic synthesis of fatty acids. 
D) It is consistent with the activity of modern retroviruses that synthesize DNA. 
E) It is inconsistent with the hypothesis that nucleic acids were the first catalysts.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The figure shows a possible evolutionary pathway in which RNA was the first genetic material and could catalyze its own replication as well as other reactions. This is consistent with the activity of modern retroviruses, which synthesize DNA from an RNA template. Option A is incorrect, as the RNA world hypothesis proposes the reverse: that nucleic acids appeared before proteins. Option B is incorrect, as RNA can self-replicate and does not require DNA for synthesis. Option C is not directly relevant to the RNA world hypothesis. Option E is also not correct, as the RNA world hypothesis proposes that nucleic acids were the first catalysts.

Refer to the Figure Below Illustrating the "RNA World" Hypothesis