Practice question

Early genetic systems needed both information storage and catalysis. DNA stores information but requires proteins for replication, creating chicken-egg problem. RNA can base-pair for heredity and fold into ribozymes catalyzing peptide bond formation and replication, as seen in RNase P and self-splicing introns. This dual capability led to proposal that RNA preceded DNA and proteins. Discovery of ribozymes supports this. Therefore RNA is hypothesized first genetic material enabling transition from chemogeny to biogeny. This concept integrates genetics, ecology and molecular evidence, frequently tested in NEET, GATE and CSIR-NET, highlighting links between genotype, phenotype and environment.