Topic 1: Evolution of life on earth Flashcards
what is abiogenesis
theory that life originated from inorganic/non-living substances
what is biogenesis
origin of life from organic, pre existing matter
approximately when did Earth form, what were the conditions
about 4.6 BYA
sterile and inhospitable
when was the hadean eon and what were the characteristics of it
4-4.6 BYA
- meteor bombardments, and water was present in form of vapor
- low biosignature
when was the Archaean eon and what were the characteristics of it
2.5-4 BYA
- stable oceans began forming, cyanobacteria and prokaryotes present
- anoxygenic photosynthesis
approximately when did microbial life appear on Earth
3.8 BYA
- evidence of some biosignature present
what are stromatolites
fossil evidence
- cyanobacteria on limestone, photosynthesize and create by product of oxygen
what are the microbial layers of stromatolites
green layer- diatoms/cyanobacteria
pink layer - purple sulfur bacteria
crystalline layer - sulfate reducing bacteria
black layer
what are the carbonate layers of stromatolites
top 1- primary layer
top 2- porous layer
top 3- compact layer
top 4- bottom layer
what are examples of microfossils
- clonial cyanpbacteria
- filamentous prokaryotes
-algae
what are examples of chemical biosignature
kerogen-> substances produced by the decay of living organism
- membrane lipids
what is the great oxidation event
when was it
2.1- 3 BYA
followed by the proliferation of cyanobacteria–> producing high by-products of oxygen which lead to highly oxic environments.
- microbes evolved to adapt to oxic environment
what is panspermia theory
theory that life was transported to earth following meteorites, asteroids, or comets.
what is spontaneous generation model and who proposed it
hypothetical process by which living organisms develop from non living matter
(aristotle)
what is the primordial/prebiotic soup model
oparin and haldane hypothesis
- primitive water bodies were full of inorganic material, the atmosphere was methane/ammonia dominated
- strong impact by lightening or UV caused formation of life
what is the Urey Miller experiment
replicated environment with methane, ammonia, water, and hydrogen
- used 50,000-60,000 voltage to replicate lightening
- resulted in 15-13 or 22 amino acids
what was the significance of the miller urey experiment
Inorganic materials can form organic molecules in the right conditions
- insight on prebiotic chemistry
describe differences between DNA and RNA
DNA– double stranded, no OH group
RNA- single stranded– OH group on ribose
what are the 3 key qualities of RNA that contribute to RNA world hypothesis
- capable of storing genetic info
- can catalyze chemical reactions
- recent studies show RNA can self replicate
what are limitations of RNA world hypothesis
RNA is more unstable than DNA
what are the strong and weak points on the theories that proteins came to form life first
- amino acids are synthesized under a variety of conditions
- can exhibit catalytic activity
- amino acids compose high diversity of information content
weak:
- lack of self replication
- proteins require DNA for function
what is the central dogma
flow of genetic info from DNA to RNA to make functional protein
- DNA replication
- Transcription (DNA-RNA)
- translation (RNA-protein)
what is the role of ribosomes in the central dogma
factories that translate code of DNA into functional unit (protein)
define gene expression
process by which DNA is converted into a functional product