A1: Enzyme-free replication of RNA sequences (Clemens Richert)

Replication of genetic material is required for evolution. If, and only if, molecular means exist to pass on genetic information from one generation to the next, can organisms evolve. But, passing on genetic information in the absence of enzymes is difficult.
Because it is likely that the first genetic material was RNA, it is reasonable to focus experimental work on the replication of RNA. Unfortunately, despite five decades of active research, no experimental system exists that undergoes replication of RNA sequences in the absence of biomacromolecules. This is why the project proposed here aims at establishing an assay for enzyme and ribozyme-free replication of RNA.
The project will involve assays that start with a first phase of genetic copying, followed by isolation of the copy, separation of the strands, and submission of the product strand to a subsequent phase of copying, in which a replica of the initial sequence is to be produced. To achieve this, several challenges will have to be overcome. We will work on the necessary steps to achieve the copying of copies in collaboration with other projects of the CRC, including collaborations on the simulation of replication processes and the realization of strand separation and displacement phenomena.