Question 5: does the RNA-world still retain its appeal after 40 years of research?

Forty years after its formulation, the hypothesis of the RNA-World remains rather controversial even though studies of RNA catalysis in cellular processes (for example, in the ubiquitous ribosomal peptide-bond formation) have clearly lent increased plausibility to the idea that an RNA-World existed at some point in the evolution leading to the emergence of cellular life. Indeed, several issues remain that weaken the concept: the synthesis of the RNA monomers under prebiotic conditions, their subsequent, efficient polymerization to yield ribozymes that specifically catalyze their own replication. This communication summarizes existing studies of the RNA polymerization from monomers. In our opinion, the recent developments show that given time plausible answers to some of the issues facing the RNA-World hypothesis will be found.