Chemical systems, chemical contiguity and the emergence of life

Abstract

Charting the emergence of living cells from inanimate matter remains an intensely challenging scientific problem. The complexity of the biochemical machinery of cells with its exquisite intricacies hints at cells being the product of a long evolutionary process. Research on the emergence of life has long been focusing on specific, well-defined problems related to one aspect of cellular make-up, such as the formation of membranes or the build-up of information/catalytic apparatus. This approach is being gradually replaced by a more “systemic” approach that privileges processes inherent to complex chemical systems over specific isolated functional apparatuses. We will summarize the recent advances in system chemistry and show that chemical systems in the geochemical context imply a form of chemical contiguity in the syntheses of the various molecules that precede modern biomolecules.

Investigating Prebiotic Protocells for a Comprehensive Understanding of the Origins of Life: A Prebiotic Systems Chemistry Perspective

“…Firstly, the role of the medium in itself should always be considered since its properties, ionic strength for instance [55], largely influence the reactivity and the interactions of the biotic macromolecules. Many kinds of media are relevant for the formation of protocells, such as mineral surfaces [51]. Indeed, they represent supports where organic molecules can be fixed and where their proximity favor polymerization reactions.…”

“…The nature of the molecule carrying the protocell information remains elusive and many models have been proposed [51]. Among them, some scenarios emphasize the fact that life emerged from metabolic networks able to self-reproduce [71].…”

“…On the other hand, if a protocell does not keep the different acquired networks or has less efficient networks, then it will lose the competition, and in that case it is a dead end for the system ( 5 ). This figure was adapted from Kee et al, 2017 [51].…”

Spatiotemporal dynamics of self-assembled structures in enzymatically induced agonistic and antagonistic conditions

“…Spatiotemporal dynamic assembly generated through synergistic paradigm among interactive chemical components can often result a complicated and unpredictable emergence. 1,2 This area has advanced as one of the most important scientific problems for solving complex networking pattern in nature, such as -connectivity in living cells or neuronal network or creating next-generation materials with perceptual stability. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Agonistic or antagonistic relationship between different constituents are the key factor or switches between the up-and downregulation of the whole dynamic processes.…”

Prebiotic Chemistry: The Role of Trimetaphosphate in Prebiotic Chemical Evolution

“…All of the above evidences infer the existence of polyphosphates before the existence of living matter, and promotes the occurrence of chemical reactions and the evolution of life. Furthermore, numerous investigations into the phosphorylation and polymerization of biomolecules and polyphosphates have been conducted in this area ( Ponnamperuma et al, 1963b ; Schwartz and Fox, 1964 ; Ponnamperuma and Mack, 1965 ; Ferris, 1968 ; Fox and Waehneldt, 1968 ; Lohrmann and Orgel, 1968 ; Rabinowitz et al, 1968 ; Schwartz and Ponnamperuma, 1968 ; Rabinowitz et al, 1969 ; Rabinowitz, 1970 ; Lohrmann and Orgel, 1971 ; Handschuh et al, 1973 ; Lohrmann, 1975 ; Hulshof and Ponnamperuma, 1976 ; Schoffstall, 1976 ; Yamagata et al, 1979 ; Yamanaka et al, 1988 ; Schwartz, 2006 ; Holm and Baltscheffsky, 2011 ; Kee and Monnard, 2017 ; Christ et al, 2020 ; Serov et al, 2020 ; Brunk and Marshall, 2021 ; Glonek, 2021 ; Ying et al, 2021 ).…”