Boreskov

DNA molecules that are replicated, albeit with the involvement of taq polymerase, areconcentrated against entropy in “cold traps” within inorganic compartments throughthermal diffusion driven by thermal gradients acting across the margins of a hydrothermalmound. We know entropy traps are also required for the onset of the RNA world. Forexample, Sievers et al. (2004, PNAS, 101, 7897) show that the peptide bonding rapidlyeffected in the ribosome is mainly a result of juxtaposing the substrates—perhaps aided byan unfolded peptide—to the partial exclusion water (and see Hsiao et al., 2009, Nucl AcidsRes, 37, 3134; Wallin and Åqvist, 2010, PNAS, 107, 1888).[1]. Copyright 2011, California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged.25