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In narrative form the author, winner of the Nobel Prize, delineates the blueprint of life - the pattern of chemical events on which all life depends - and demonstrates unity in the diversity of life on earth.

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CHOICE Review

This tightly reasoned and beautifully written book by Nobel laureate De Duve proposes four successive stages for the origins of the first cells. His central postulate is that thioesters, possibly formed initially from thiols and carboxylic acids under hot, acidic, sulfur-rich conditions, played pivotal roles in the transition from the primeval prebiotic world to the world of RNA and DNA. Amino acids, activated as thioesters, could link to form "multimers" with catalytic activity, including the formation of more thioesters. Thioesters could combine with inorganic phosphates in the absence of enzymes, thereby forming pyrophosphates and ATP to support all the energy needs of protometabolism. Exchange of phosphoryl groups with other nucleotides and combination with nicotinamide could lead to the era of coenzymes, and exchange of nucleotide groups could lead to the RNA world. De Duve marshals the evidence for and against his suggestions, and the relevant chemistry is simply and clearly explained. The detailed index and extensive bibliography make the book a useful resource. Recommended for senior undergraduate and postgraduate students of evolution, molecular biology, and biochemistry.