This result that I spotted on the BBC news pages looks interesting "Lifeless prion proteins are capable of evolution"-http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8435320.stm-Quotes: Scientists have shown for the first time that "lifeless" prion proteins, devoid of all genetic material, can evolve just like higher forms of life. /// ... it's clear that you do not need nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) for the process of evolution.