Genetic takeover

An information science research group devised a new model which could explain information storage in the prebiotic phase of the biogenesis process. They assume that layered double hydroxide (LDH) minerals acted as proto-RNA molecules on the young Earth about 4 billion years ago. This hypothesis relates to Cairns-Smith s genetic takeover thesis, which thus again became the subject of discussion. 

Cairns-Smith, A, G. Genetic Takeover and the Mineral Origins of Life Cambridge University Press Cambridge, 1982. 

Oparin, A. I. Proiskhozhdenie Zhizny Izd. Moskovskii Rabochii Moscow 1924. (Reprinted in translation in Bernal, J. D. The Origin of Life Weidenfeld and Nicolson London, 1967, 199-234. Reference obtained from Caims-Smith, G. The Genetic Takeover, Cambridge University Press Cambridge 1982, p. 445. 

Cairns-Smith AG (1982) Genetic takeover and the mineral origins of life, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK... 

Still, in this reproduction system, any particular molecules carrying information for reproduction do not exist, in contrast to the present cell that has specific molecules (DNA) for it. As for a transition from early loose reproduction to later accurate replication with genetic information, Dyson did not give an explicit answer. He only referred to genetic takeover that was originally proposed by Cairns-Smith [12], who discussed that a precise replication system by nucleic acids took over the original loose reproduction system by clay. Indeed, Dyson wrote that his idea is based on Cairns-Smith theory minus clay. However, the logic for this takeover is not unveiled. 

This minority control also resolves the question on the genetic takeover, the problem in the metabolism first standpoint (in Section II.B). Among several molecules, specific molecule species that are minority in population controls the behavior of a cell and is well preserved. The possible scenario mentioned in the beginning of this section gives one plausible answer regarding how genetic takeover progresses. 

Cairns-Smith, A. G. Genetic Takeover and the Mineral Origins of Life. Cambridge, England Cambridge Univ. Press, 1982. [A presentation of the idea that life began in clay.]... 

A.G. Caims-Smith, Genetic Takeover, p. 361, Cambridge University Press, 1982. 

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