Basing on logical assumptions and necessary steps of complexification along biological
evolution, we propose here an evolutionary path from molecules to cells presenting four …

Abstract Systems of catalytic RNAs presumably gave rise to important evolutionary
innovations, such as the genetic code. Such systems may exhibit particular tolerance to …

Recently, the first self-replicating molecules have been described that are capable of
catalyzing different reactions in addition to their own formation. These findings raise the …

This thesis describes our attempts to develop new self-replicating systems and to install
functions that are as lifelike as possible. The introduction (chapter 1) opens with a general …

The emergence of the genetic code was a major transition in the evolution from a prebiotic
RNA world to the earliest modern cells. A prominent feature of the standard genetic code is …

Understanding molecular evolution can reveal a great deal about the past, present, and
future of biological systems. The evolution of catalytic RNA is of particular interest because …