Question

I just tried googling it but couldn't find the answer--do archaea rely solely on RNA, or do they use DNA as well? I heard the first living things on Earth may have been archaea, and I know the first living things used only RNA. Do you know the answer @wolfe8?

Answer 1

archaea have DNA yes, they are one of the oldest, but not first for sure.

atm the biogenesis is still highly debated as there are multiple theories still being debated. essentially there is large support for nucleic acid origin as well as protein origin.

Answer 2

Thank you!

Answer 3

"Details have only been investigated in the genus Sulfolobus, but that cycle has characteristics that are similar to both bacterial and eukaryotic systems. The chromosomes replicate from multiple starting-points (origins of replication) using DNA polymerases that resemble the equivalent eukaryotic enzymes."

Sounds like DNA too but it was only mentioned once there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaea

Answer 4

Ok other sources keep mentioning archaea DNA so I would say yess

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/archaea/archaeamm.html
http://www.microbeworld.org/types-of-microbes/archaea

The second one has interesting facts. Check it out.

Answer 5

protobionts are actually believed to be the precursors of prokaryotes. The given link provides a detailed explanation.
http://www.biocab.org/protobiont.html