摘要
In recent developments in chemistry and genetic engineering, the humble researcher dealing with the origin of life finds her（him）self in a grey area of tackling something that even does not yet have a clear definition agreed upon. A series of chemical steps is described to be considered as the life-nonlife transition, if one adheres to the minimalistic definition： life is self-reproduction with variations. The fully artificial RNA system chosen for the exploration corresponds sequence-wise to the reconstructed initial triplet repeats, presumably corresponding to the earliest protein-coding molecules. The demonstrated occurrence of the mismatches （variations） in otherwise complementary syntheses （＂self-reproduction＂）, in this RNA system, opens an experimental and conceptual perspective to explore the origin of life （and its definition）, on the apparent edge of the origin.
In recent developments in chemistry and genetic engineering, the humble researcher dealing with the origin of life finds her（him）self in a grey area of tackling something that even does not yet have a clear definition agreed upon. A series of chemical steps is described to be considered as the life-nonlife transition, if one adheres to the minimalistic definition： life is self-reproduction with variations. The fully artificial RNA system chosen for the exploration corresponds sequence-wise to the reconstructed initial triplet repeats, presumably corresponding to the earliest protein-coding molecules. The demonstrated occurrence of the mismatches （variations） in otherwise complementary syntheses （＂self-reproduction＂）, in this RNA system, opens an experimental and conceptual perspective to explore the origin of life （and its definition）, on the apparent edge of the origin.
基金
supported by Grant ASI-INAF n. I/015/07/0 "Esplorazione del Sistema Solare"
