What are the essential elements for life?

1. Individuality for proliferation.

2. Absorption of nutrients (organic compounds).

3. Metabolism of nutrients.

4. Self-reproduction.

5. Evolution.

Living organisms live under the basic system of life, which is made up of proteins, cell structures (membranes), metabolism, tRNA, the genetic codes, and genes.

Elucidating the origin of life is about understanding how the six elements(members) that make up the basic system of life were created in a random process, in what order, and how the first life was born as a result.

Dr. Ikehara describes the importance of the above as follows.

“The most important point for elucidation of the origin of life is to clarify the establishment process of the six members. These are proteins, cell structure, metabolism, tRNA, genetic code and genes, composing the fundamental life system, under which contemporary organisms are also living. Therefore, one of the premises for solving the origin of life is to understand well the features of the six members of modern organisms. Because even the most primitive members should be connected with the respective modern ones.”

Dr. Ikehara also described the following view.

“I believe that I could solve the riddle of the origin of life. The reason is because I consider that the establishment processes of all of the six constituents could be explained reasonably in order of protein, protocell, metabolism, tRNA, the genetic code and gene, which are necessary to solve the origin of life by GADV-protein world hypothesis or GADV hypothesis.”

Reference: Ikehara K(2021)Towards Revealing the Origin of Life. Springer Nature
Figure: courtesy of Dr. Kenji Ikehara (modified in part)