Figure 5

Gradual transition from an RNA to a DNA world. A. The transition from dsRNA to dsDNA can be accomplished by substituting RNA nucleotides for DNA nucleotides. This would require a switch in substrate-specificity from a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase to an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase, followed or accompanied by a mutation in the template specificity to a DNA-dependent DNA polymerase. B. The transcription of RNA from dsDNA is conceptually similar to transcription from dsRNA and this transition requires only a change in template recognition, i.e. from a RNA-dependent to a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase.