A9: Early ribogene expression and the transition from RNA to DNA-genomes (Hannes Mutschler)
The role of ribozymes during evolution from primitive progenitor cells to modern DNA- and protein-based cells remains unclear. However, extant natural catalytic RNAs, as molecular fossils, may provide important clues as to how this transition may have occurred. In this project, starting from natural self-splicing introns, we will develop model systems to study protein-free replication and expression of RNA genomes as well as the transition from RNA to DNA genomes by protein-free reverse splicing.