Understanding the origin of protein synthesis is fundamental to understanding where life came from,” said senior author Professor Matthew Powner. When the ribosome receives those instructions, it acts as a protein factory, building the required compounds from amino acids. “We have achieved the first part of that complex process, using very simple chemistry in water at neutral pH to link amino acids to RNA. Origins of Life: in ContextScientists had made earlier unsuccessful attempts to create the first synthesis of life’s building blocks by using highly reactive molecules to connect RNA and amino acids. The team’s innovation this time is in showing that RNA is capable of preferentially bonding to specific amino acids, forming the basis of the genetic code.