Histidine Self-assembly and Stability on Mineral Surfaces as a Model of Prebiotic Chemical Evolution: An Experimental and Computational Approach

Protection of the DNA from Selected Species of Five Kingdoms in Nature by Ba(II), Sr(II), and Ca(II) Silica–Carbonates: Implications about Biogenicity and Evolving from Prebiotic Chemistry to Biological Chemistry

“…In this way, through the mineralization process, organisms produce the materials required for their protection and support. The synthesis of biogenic minerals among organisms of the five kingdoms has been widely described in bacteria, yeasts, protists, plants, and animals. ,− Additionally, our results strengthen the proposals of other research teams that indicate that the first biomolecules and, hence, the first organism originated in the primordial soup included minerals. − Another hypothesis supported by our results concerning the participation of minerals in the origin of life is the proposed mechanism through which minerals formed the crystals that are part of organisms . The fourth evidence is that we were able, for the first time, to identify kerogen bands in conditions that emulate the Precambrian as well as in the current RTP conditions in the presence of DNA.…”

New Insights on the Origin of Life: The Role of Silico-Carbonates of Ba (II) to Preserve DNA against Highly Intense UV Radiation

“…In this way, the obtained data reinforce our research team’s proposal about biomorphs and their participation in the origin of life and, at the same time, the proposals of other research group, indicating that the first biomolecules were synthesized by the co-existence of a prebiotic soup and the minerals present in the primigenial era. − The latter would favor the formation of the protocell proposed by Wachtershauser in 2006 . Later on, from the pioneer organisms formed by the organic-mineral structure, the cell membrane would be formed, allowing for the formation of LUCA, and then, through a macroevolution, all organisms would have been formed .…”

“…Hence, the obtained results support my proposal that biomorphs could be that mineral crystalline structure that favored the origin of life and thus leading me to infer that they can actually be the missing gap between the Precambrian and the current era. The proposed hypothesis of biomorphs is based on the following evidence and characteristics of biomorphs: (i) biomorphs are crystalline mineral structures that depict diverse biological morphologies; − (ii) they present similitude with some Apex fossils; (iii) they have been proposed as biomarkers in crystalline minerals (this work and); (iv) they are able to conserve nucleic acids in their interior, as found in the cells, during long periods (this work); (v) they are proposed as one of the first inorganic structures in which the biomolecules formed in the Precambrian were concentrated, aligned, polymerized, and protected from the conditions existing in the primitive era; (vi) it has been inferred that biomorphs are possibly the Precambrian cherts that were kept invisible until their discovery (this work and); (vii) biomorphs protect the DNA from external factors in different habitats, as are normal atmospheric conditions and in an aqueous medium (this work); (viii) biomorphs protect the DNA independently of their G–C composition (this work); and (ix) biomorphs could be the gap that unifies the diverse proposed theories on the origin of life in our planet (this work and − ).…”

CaCO3 Polymorphs as Mineral Catalysts for Prebiotic Phosphorylation of Uridine

“…Dissolved phosphides have been shown to be quite reactive toward organic substrates under relatively mild aqueous conditions, and evaporitic condensation could further concentrate these species, thus promoting an ideal environment for abiotic phosphorylation. The abiotic formation of nucleic acids on the surface of early Earth likely occurred in a complex environment in which the surfaces of calcium carbonate minerals may have played a key role (Benner et al., 2018; Madrigal‐Trejo et al., 2021).…”