[Diogenesis]

polyAAAAA reproduces itself.
All life has DNA which begins with polyAAAAA.
The DNA which was best covered and protected, then did the best.

[djf]

Correct. I think early environments needed to be "contained" in some sense. The best way to desribe it is that early life probably resembled, more than anything else, something that had the consistency of egg whites. Having a thicker type medium prevents the whole mess from being diluted and washed out into the open oceans.

I have written an essay on the subject that a few have read, I remember being stunned by the findings of Thermus Aquaticus and TAQ polymerase.

The development of the cell wall, well, that's another whole problem entirely...