Life from an RNA World (Paperback)

Michael Yarus

ISBN 10: 0674060717 / ISBN 13: 9780674060715

Published by Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass, 2011

About this Item

Paperback. A majority of evolutionary biologists believe that we now can envision our biological predecessors-not the first, but nearly the first, living beings on Earth. Life from an RNA World is about these vanished forebears, sketching them in the distant past just as their workings first began to resemble our own. The advances that have made such a pursuit possible are rarely discussed outside of bio-labs. So here, says author Michael Yarus, is an album for interested non-biologists, an introduction to our relatives in deep time, slouching between the first rudimentary life on Earth and the appearance of more complex beings. The era between, and the focus of Yarus' work, is called the RNA world. It is RNA (ribonucleic acid) long believed to be a mere biologic copier and messenger, that offers us this glimpse into our ancient predecessors. To describe early RNA creatures, here called "ribocytes" or RNA cells, Yarus deploys some basics of molecular biology. He reviews our current understanding of the tree of life, examines the structure of RNA itself, explains the operation of the genetic code, and covers much else-all in an effort to reveal a departed biological world across billions of years between its heyday and ours. Courting controversy among those who question the role of "ribocytes"-citing the chemical fragility of RNA and the uncertainty about the origin of an RNA synthetic apparatus-Yarus offers an invaluable vision of early life on Earth. And his book makes that early form of life, our ancestor within, accessible to all of us. A majority of evolutionary biologists believe that we now can envision our biological predecessors - not the first, but nearly the first, living beings on Earth. This title is about these vanished forebears, sketching them in the distant past just as their workings first began to resemble our own. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780674060715

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Life from an RNA World (Paperback)
• Publisher: Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0674060717
• ISBN 13: 9780674060715
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

A majority of evolutionary biologists believe that we now can envision our biological predecessors―not the first, but nearly the first, living beings on Earth. Life from an RNA World is about these vanished forebears, sketching them in the distant past just as their workings first began to resemble our own. The advances that have made such a pursuit possible are rarely discussed outside of bio-labs. So here, says author Michael Yarus, is an album for interested non-biologists, an introduction to our relatives in deep time, slouching between the first rudimentary life on Earth and the appearance of more complex beings.

The era between, and the focus of Yarus’ work, is called the RNA world. It is RNA (ribonucleic acid)―long believed to be a mere biologic copier and messenger―that offers us this glimpse into our ancient predecessors. To describe early RNA creatures, here called “ribocytes” or RNA cells, Yarus deploys some basics of molecular biology. He reviews our current understanding of the tree of life, examines the structure of RNA itself, explains the operation of the genetic code, and covers much else―all in an effort to reveal a departed biological world across billions of years between its heyday and ours.

Courting controversy among those who question the role of “ribocytes”―citing the chemical fragility of RNA and the uncertainty about the origin of an RNA synthetic apparatus―Yarus offers an invaluable vision of early life on Earth. And his book makes that early form of life, our ancestor within, accessible to all of us.

About the Author

Michael Yarus is Professor Emeritus, Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado.