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The Origin of Life

Horowitz, N. H. and Hubbard, Jerry S. (1974) The Origin of Life. Annual Review of Genetics, 8 . pp. 393-410. ISSN 0066-4197. doi:10.1146/annurev.ge.08.120174.002141. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:HORarg74

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Abstract

The origin of life is in a sense a genetic problem, for, as H. J. Muller pointed out many years ago, the essential attribute that identifies living matter is its capacity to replicate itself and its variants (1). Because this uniquely biological property has its physical basis in proteins and nucleic acids, the goal of modern work on the origin of life is to discover the manner of origin of these polymers and of the interactions between them that constitute the genetic mechanism. In attempting to review this subject in a limited space, we cannot undertake an exhaustive treatment. Rather, we summarize work published principally since 1970 in the following areas, with emphasis on those aspects that are of greatest current interest: 1. precambrian paleontology, 2. chemical evolution of genetically important monomers, 3. prebiotic dehydration-condensation reactions, 4. organic compounds in meteorites and interstellar space, and 5. biological exploration of the planets. A large number of review articles (2-5), critical and theoretical discussions (6-8), books (9-16), and conference proceedings (17-21) dealing with the origin of have appeared in recent years. In addition, a new serial, the Journal of Molecular Evolution, publishing papers on this and related subjects, appeared in 1971; the journal Space Life Sciences has been renamed "Origins of Life," and a society, the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life, was recently founded.


Item Type:Article
Related URLs:
URLURL TypeDescription
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ge.08.120174.002141DOIArticle
Additional Information:© 1974 Annual Reviews. We wish to acknowledge support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, research grant NGR 05-002-308.
Funders:
Funding AgencyGrant Number
NASANGR 05-002-308
DOI:10.1146/annurev.ge.08.120174.002141
Record Number:CaltechAUTHORS:HORarg74
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:HORarg74
Official Citation:The Origin of Life. N. H. Horowitz and Jerry S. Hubbard. Annual Review of Genetics 1974 8:1, 393-410; doi: 10.1146/annurev.ge.08.120174.002141
Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:671
Collection:CaltechAUTHORS
Deposited By: Tony Diaz
Deposited On:13 Sep 2005
Last Modified:08 Nov 2021 19:04

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