Some surprising structures of liquid crystals of ultra-short DNA molecules were discovered by a research team headed by the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Milan. Their recent findings are said to offer a new scenario for a key stage in the surfacing of life on Earth.

According to Noel Clark, a physics professor at the University of Colorado in Boulder, the team discovered that the amazingly short segments of the molecular carriers of genetic information or DNA could construct numerous distinct phases of liquid crystals. Furthermore, such crystals that could align themselves parallel to one another and could stack into columns when placed in a solution of water. Life is popularly believed to have originated from DNA-like or RNA-like molecular segments in a pre-biotic mixture of the earliest organic molecules.

Clark also remarked that random chemistry cannot establish uniform molecular chains as those of DNA. As such, scientists have been trying to find ways for molecules to effectively self-select, chain up, and self-replicate spontaneously. The recent study done was able to display that in mixture of tiny DNA fragments, molecules, with the capacity to form liquid crystals, discriminately condense into droplets. As such, these molecules are in a favorable state to chemically link to form longer molecules that have the enhanced tendency to form liquid crystals.

The team of researchers were also able to find out that even the minute fragments of the double helix, which is the chain formation of DNA, can suddenly pull themselves together to create columns that are composed of various molecules. Clark further stated that the vision of the team is that short RNA sections or some structurally related originator materialized basing from the assortment of ancient molecules. Moreover, such originating pieces act as molecular fragments that have condensing properties that could turn such structures into liquid crystal droplets that could selectively develop into long molecules.

In order to appreciate liquid crystal structures, the use of a stereo binocular microscope is suggested. Unlike the compound microscope that only gives a two-dimensional view, a stereo binocular microscope allows the observer a three dimensional view of the subject placed under it. With the erect and upright image that a stereo binocular microscope provides, the scientist may now better observe the rod shapes of liquid crystal phase molecules. Stereo binocular microscope also has a wide array of applications. A biologist, a paleontologist, or a circuit board technician may also employ a stereo binocular microscope in dissection, fossil observation, and repair, respectively.

Going back to the article, when the liquid crystal phases were structurally analyzed, it was found out that the reason for their structure was due to the short DNA duplex pairs that were able to adhere to each other from end to end. As such, rod shapes were formed that act as if they were much longer pieces of DNA. The sticking of duplex pairs was caused by tiny oily areas located at the ends of the short DNA pieces, helping them to reversibly hold on to each other.