Modern problems, primitive solutions: A glimpse into archaic protein synthesis systems: Scientists show, for the first time, how protein synthesis in an ancient organism could have inspired the molecular tools used by modern organisms

The interaction between 'transfer RNAs' and the enzymes that help them in protein synthesis has always been the key area of interest for understanding the evolution of the genetic code. Now, a team of scientists reports that a subunit of 'alanyl-tRNA synthetase' enzyme of the primitive microorganism Nanoarchaeum equitans can mimic the super-primitive tRNA 'aminoacylation' independent of the presence of a special 'G3:U70' base pair, a property previously unseen in primitive organisms.