Article: Controversial Findings Help Explain Evolution of Life

Controversial Findings Help Explain Evolution of Life


CORVALLIS, Ore. - Chemists at Oregon State University have pioneered a
controversial theory about how supposedly-stable DNA bases can be pushed
into a "dark state" in which they are highly vulnerable to damage from
ultraviolet radiation - an idea that has challenged some of the most basic
concepts of modern biochemistry.

The theory, not long ago dismissed as impossible by much of the science
community, has in recent months begun to garner increasing interest and is
being confirmed by other studies.

And though it began as scientific heresy, the findings could help explain
how the presence of water was the key to the evolution of life on Earth,
making it possible for life to emerge from what was once a hostile and
unforgiving primordial soup of chemicals and radiation.

More and more research is being focused on this area since a study proving
the existence of this "dark state" was published by OSU researchers in the
Journal of Physical Chemistry - even though other journals had repeatedly
rejected the findings because they were too radical.

"The findings of our studies did not fit most people's preconceived notions
about how DNA molecules work, so they assumed we had to be wrong," said Wei
Kong, an OSU professor of chemistry. "The critics seemed very sure of
themselves, and we had a lot of sleepless nights."


"But just since last summer this has been a key point of discussion at
several conferences and caused quite an excitement, as people see the data,"
Kong said. "Among other things, it helps to explain how water, or something
else serving the same role, could have helped lead to the evolution of
life."

The core of the debate, Kong said, relates to the behavior of the nucleic
acid bases - adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine - which as A-T and G-C
base pairs form DNA and ultimately become the blueprint for all living
things. One of the most basic premises of biochemistry is that these nucleic
acid bases are very stable, as they would have to be to prevent rampant
mutations and make an organized genetic structure possible.

Full Text at the Oregon State University
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2006/Apr06/darkstate.html

Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek


.

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