LUCA or protocell is a living thing on the basis of its characteristics that are almost similar to characteristics of living things or life.
The Last universal common ancestor or (LUCA) is a primitive organism and found cellular life on earth. It lacks a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles so the LUCA would be considered a prokaryote organism. It shows these characteristics:
- It probably had both a cell membrane and ribosomes, has a cell organization.
- used for DNA for information storage, shows heredity.
- RNA for information transfer, and proteins for catalyzing chemical reactions
- The cell contained cytoplasm surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane.
- Glucose was used as a source of energy and carbon, the process is a metabolism process.
- There were several hundred enzymes that catalyzed biochemical reactions.
- The cell multiplied by duplicating all its contents, followed by cellular division which means it showed reproduction.
Thus, it shows characteristics of life.
The eight characteristics of living things that characterize them as biotic and not abiotic:
- cellular organization
- reproduction
- metabolism
- homeostasis
- heredity
- response to stimuli
- growth and development
- adaptation through evolution.
Learn more about characteristics of life:
https://brainly.com/question/3819611
