Conditions for the emergence of life on the early Earth: summary and reflections

Jortner, Joshua

doi:10.1098/rstb.2006.1909

Cited by 62 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 120 publications

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“…The prebiotic condition existing in the bottom of sea was essentially reducing (Wachtershauser 1988). This is suitable for the adsorption of ribonucleotides on the surface of the Mn (II) and Mn (III) which changed slowly to the more stable state of manganese oxide, Mn (IV) with the increasingly oxidizing nature of the primitive Earth's atmosphere (Jortner 2006). The oxic conditions prevailing at bottom of seas were clarified by thallium isotope studies carried out by Nielson (Nielsen et al 2006) and further reported by Sleep and Bird (Sleep and Bird 2008).…”

Section: Indicates Interactions Betweenmentioning

confidence: 97%

Adsorption of Ribose Nucleotides on Manganese Oxides with Varied Mn/O Ratio: Implications for Chemical Evolution

Bhushan

Shanker

Kamaluddin

2011

Orig Life Evol Biosph

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Manganese exists in different oxidation states under different environmental conditions with respect to redox potential. Various forms of manganese oxides, namely, Manganosite (MnO), Bixbyite (Mn(2)O(3)), Hausmannite (Mn(3)O(4)) and Pyrolusite (MnO(2)) were synthesized and their possible role in chemical evolution studied. Adsorption studies of ribose nucleotides (5'-AMP, 5'-GMP, 5'-CMP and 5'-UMP) on these manganese oxides at neutral pH, revealed a higher binding affinity to manganosite (MnO) compared to the other manganese oxides. That manganese oxides having a lower Mn-O ratio show higher binding affinity for the ribonucleotides indirectly implies that such oxides may have provided a surface onto which biomonomers could have been concentrated through selective adsorption. Purine nucleotides were adsorbed to a greater extent compared to the pyrimidine nucleotides. Adsorption data followed Langmuir adsorption isotherms, and X( m ) and K( L ) values were calculated. The nature of the interaction and mechanism was elucidated by infrared spectral studies conducted on the metal-oxide and ribonucleotide-metal-oxide adducts.

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Section: Indicates Interactions Betweenmentioning

confidence: 97%

Adsorption of Ribose Nucleotides on Manganese Oxides with Varied Mn/O Ratio: Implications for Chemical Evolution

Bhushan

Shanker

Kamaluddin

2011

Orig Life Evol Biosph

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“…The precise environmental conditions on the Hadean Earth are unknown, but various scenarios can be suggested based on our knowledge of planetary sciences and geochemistry. The details of how early oceans and atmosphere became established have remained contentious, e.g., the discussion on whether the early atmosphere was reducing or more neutral has been extensive and has been summarized in books and reviews (4,41,42,53,69,84,102,129). Currently, geological arguments favor a relatively oxidized atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, and elemental nitrogen, though no free oxygen) (44,128).…”

Section: Tentative Transitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Biomacromolecular Crowding, Ionic Strength, and Physicochemical Gradients in the Complexities of Life's Emergence

Spitzer¹,

Poolman

2009

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

132

168

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SUMMARY We have developed a general scenario of prebiotic physicochemical evolution during the Earth's Hadean eon and reviewed the relevant literature. We suggest that prebiotic chemical evolution started in microspaces with membranous walls, where external temperature and osmotic gradients were coupled to free-energy gradients of potential chemical reactions. The key feature of this scenario is the onset of an emergent evolutionary transition within the microspaces that is described by the model of complex vectorial chemistry. This transition occurs at average macromolecular crowding of 20 to 30% of the cell volume, when the ranges of action of stabilizing colloidal forces (screened electrostatic forces, hydration, and excluded volume forces) become commensurate. Under these conditions, the macromolecules divide the interior of microspaces into dynamically crowded macromolecular regions and topologically complementary electrolyte pools. Small ions and ionic metabolites are transported vectorially between the electrolyte pools and through the (semiconducting) electrolyte pathways of the crowded macromolecular regions from their high electrochemical potential (where they are biochemically produced) to their lower electrochemical potential (where they are consumed). We suggest a sequence of tentative transitions between major evolutionary periods during the Hadean eon as follows: (i) the early water world, (ii) the appearance of land masses, (iii) the pre-RNA world, (iv) the onset of complex vectorial chemistry, and (v) the RNA world and evolution toward Darwinian thresholds. We stress the importance of high ionic strength of the Hadean ocean (short Debye's lengths) and screened electrostatic interactions that enabled the onset of the vectorial structure of the cytoplasm and the possibility of life's emergence.

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“…Living organisms can exist only when supported by energy flow [86][87][88][89][90][91][92]. Because of the obvious requirement for energetic continuity, the energy flows that deserve attention in an evolutionary context are those that remain constant on the evolutionary relevant, geological timescale.…”

Section: Energetic Physical and Geological Constraints On Abiogenesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inorganic Polyphosphate Modulates TRPM8 Channels

Trimm¹

2011

Inorganic Chemistry

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Conditions for the emergence of life on the early Earth: summary and reflections

Cited by 62 publications

References 120 publications

Adsorption of Ribose Nucleotides on Manganese Oxides with Varied Mn/O Ratio: Implications for Chemical Evolution

Adsorption of Ribose Nucleotides on Manganese Oxides with Varied Mn/O Ratio: Implications for Chemical Evolution

The Role of Biomacromolecular Crowding, Ionic Strength, and Physicochemical Gradients in the Complexities of Life's Emergence

Inorganic Polyphosphate Modulates TRPM8 Channels

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