Notre Dame scientists study how early life may have repaired itself

The original article, written by Erin Fennessy, was shared on Notre Dame News.

Notre Dame chemist Saurja DasGupta and his collaborators have uncovered a possible clue to one of science’s oldest questions: How did life begin?

In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers engineered an RNA-based enzyme, or ribozyme, that can recognize and repair broken RNA. The discovery supports the idea that, before DNA and proteins became essential to life, RNA may have been able to both store genetic information and help preserve it.

From ancient life to modern diagnostics

The finding has implications beyond the origins of life. Broken RNA can appear in viral infections and some cancers, but it is often missed by standard RNA sequencing tools. Because the ribozyme can target broken RNA, it may one day help researchers better detect and study these molecular signals.

The work was led by DasGupta, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry with a concurrent appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences. First author Annyesha Biswas, a postdoctoral researcher supported by Notre Dame’s Bioengineering and Life Sciences initiative, also collaborated on the study.

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