Question

James Ferris discovered that clay minerals are capable of ________.

1) joining pyrimidines to simple sugars

2) catalyzing the polymerization of activated nucleotides

3) breaking down biomolecules to release energy

4) activating nucleotides by adding phosphate groups

5) forming microscopic spheres from short polymers of amino acids

Answer 1

James Ferris discovered that clay minerals are capable of catalyzing the polymerization of activated nucleotides, contributing to the understanding of the prebiotic chemistry critical in RNA World hypothesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

James Ferris discovered that clay minerals, such as the crystals that compose clays, are capable of catalyzing the polymerization of activated nucleotides.

This discovery is crucial in understanding the prebiotic chemistry and the hypothesis of the 'RNA World', which suggests that life began with RNA-based molecules before DNA and proteins became prevalent in biological systems.

Clay minerals may have provided a surface that could stabilize and support the chemical reactions needed to form longer chains of RNA, leading to the eventual development of life.

These findings align with research that indicates the abiotic formation of RNA-like oligomers by montmorillonite catalysis and support the notion that minerals may have been significant in the early stages of life's evolution for catalyzing complex biochemical reactions.