Bioenergetics of early life

Aleksandrova, Maiia I.; Bonfio, Claudia

doi:10.15252/embr.202255679

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The ratchet mechanisms framework can contribute by pointing to the features of chemical reaction networks required for energy transduction. Such features are largely independent of the type of molecules involved, and encompass the role of compartmentalization [147,148] . Thus, ratchets would be consistent with the current understanding of free‐energy transduction in metabolic networks [149] …”

Section: Ratchets In Other Domainssupporting

confidence: 60%

Artificial Molecular Ratchets: Tools Enabling Endergonic Processes

Sangchai,

Al Shehimy,

Penocchio

et al. 2023

Angew Chem Int Ed

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Non‐equilibrium chemical systems underpin multiple domains of contemporary interest, including supramolecular chemistry, molecular machines, systems chemistry, prebiotic chemistry, and energy transduction. Experimental chemists are now pioneering the realization of artificial systems that can harvest energy away from equilibrium. In this tutorial review, we provide an overview of artificial molecular ratchets: the chemical mechanisms enabling energy absorption from the environment. By focusing on the mechanism type – rather than the application domain or energy source – we offer a unifying picture of seemingly disparate phenomena, which we hope will foster progress in this fascinating domain of science.

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Section: Ratchets In Other Domainssupporting

confidence: 60%

Artificial Molecular Ratchets: Tools Enabling Endergonic Processes

Sangchai,

Al Shehimy,

Penocchio

et al. 2023

Angew Chem Int Ed

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“…[4] The emergence of such dissipative cycles is not fully understood, though they must have played a crucial role in the origin of life as they are essential in the transition from inactive to active matter. [5][6][7] The eventual outcome of evolutionary selection on these energy dissipating reaction cycles, is the formation of activated structures that perform non-equilibrium functions, such as movement (e.g. kinesin) or the formation of high-energy structures (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…adenosine triphosphate (ATP)) hydrolysis as an energy currency within a chemical reaction cycle to drive biochemical processes away from equilibrium [4] . The emergence of such dissipative cycles is not fully understood, though they must have played a crucial role in the origin of life as they are essential in the transition from inactive to active matter [5–7] . The eventual outcome of evolutionary selection on these energy dissipating reaction cycles, is the formation of activated structures that perform non‐equilibrium functions, such as movement (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Minimalistic Covalent Bond‐Forming Chemical Reaction Cycle that Consumes Adenosine Diphosphate

Marchetti,

Roberts,

Frezzato

et al. 2024

Angew Chem Int Ed

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The development of active matter requires the ability to design materials capable of harnessing energy from a source to carry out work. Nature achieves this using chemical reaction cycles in which energy released from an exergonic chemical reaction is used to drive biochemical processes. Although many chemically fuelled synthetic reaction cycles have been reported, the generally high complexity of the reported systems hampers a full understanding of how the available chemical energy is actually exploited by these systems. This lack of understanding is a limiting factor in the design of active matter. Here, we report a minimalistic reaction cycle in which adenosine diphosphate (ADP) triggers the formation of a catalyst for its own hydrolysis. This establishes an interdependence between the concentrations of the network components resulting in the transient formation of the catalyst. The network is sufficiently simple that all kinetic and thermodynamic parameters governing its behaviour can be characterised, allowing kinetic models to be built that simulate the progress of reactions within the network. While the current network does not enable the ADP‐hydrolysis reaction to populate a nonequilibrium composition, these models provide insight into the way the network dissipates energy. Furthermore, design principles are revealed for constructing driven systems.

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“…In bacteria and eukaryotes, cell membranes are made predominantly of complex phospholipids bearing 2-amino alcohol motifs (e.g., choline, ethanolamine, and serine), the compositional and functional diversity of which influence their properties, including protein binding, substrate transport, and cell signaling . Due to their ubiquitous role in compartmentalization, phospholipids are thought to have appeared on Earth before the advent of cells capable of Darwinian evolution. − Still, prebiotic synthetic pathways that could have led to the diverse array of phospholipids present in modern membranes remain largely unexplored.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ring Opening of Glycerol Cyclic Phosphates Leads to a Diverse Array of Potentially Prebiotic Phospholipids

Aleksandrova,

Rahmatova,

Russell

et al. 2023

J. Am. Chem. Soc.

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Phospholipids are the primary constituents of cell membranes across all domains of life, but how and when phospholipids appeared on early Earth remains unknown. Pressingly, most prebiotic syntheses of complex phospholipids rely upon substrates not yet shown to have been available on early Earth. Here, we describe potentially prebiotic syntheses of a diverse array of complex phospholipids and their building blocks. First, we show that choline could have been produced on early Earth by stepwise Nmethylation of ethanolamine. Second, taking a systems chemistry approach, we demonstrate that the intrinsically activated glycerol-2,3-cyclic phosphate undergoes ring opening with combinations of prebiotic amino alcohols to yield complex phospholipid headgroups. Importantly, this pathway selects for the formation of 2-amino alcohol-bearing phospholipid headgroups and enables the accumulation of their natural regioisomers. Finally, we show that the drystate ring opening of cyclic lysophosphatidic acids leads to a range of self-assembling lysophospholipids. Our results provide new prebiotic routes to key intermediates on the way toward modern phospholipids and illuminate the potential origin and evolution of cell membranes.

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Bioenergetics of early life

Abstract: Living cells are powered by intricate networks of chemical reactions of thousands of molecules. Understanding how living systems emerged through the assembly of chemical processes is one of the biggest challenges in science.

Cited by 7 publications

References 12 publications

Artificial Molecular Ratchets: Tools Enabling Endergonic Processes

Artificial Molecular Ratchets: Tools Enabling Endergonic Processes

A Minimalistic Covalent Bond‐Forming Chemical Reaction Cycle that Consumes Adenosine Diphosphate

Ring Opening of Glycerol Cyclic Phosphates Leads to a Diverse Array of Potentially Prebiotic Phospholipids

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