Origin of life: LUCA and extracellular membrane vesicles (EMVs)

Abstract

Cells from the three domains of life produce extracellular membrane vesicles (EMVs), suggesting that EMV production is an important aspect of cellular physiology. EMVs have been implicated in many aspects of cellular life in all domains, including stress response, toxicity against competing strains, pathogenicity, detoxification and resistance against viral attack. These EMVs represent an important mode of inter-cellular communication by serving as vehicles for transfer of DNA, RNA, proteins and lipids between cells. Here, we review recent progress in the understanding of EMV biology and their various roles. We focus on the role of membrane vesicles in early cellular evolution and how they would have helped shape the nature of the last universal common ancestor. A membrane-protected microenvironment would have been a key to the survival of spontaneous molecular systems and efficient metabolic reactions. Interestingly, the morphology of EMVs is strongly reminiscent of the morphology of some virions. It is thus tempting to make a link between the origin of the first protocell via the formation of vesicles and the origin of viruses.

The First Space-Related Study of a Kombucha Multimicrobial Cellulose-Forming Community: Preparatory Laboratory Experiments

“…A possible benefit of the production of OMVs in the environment and participation in the biomineralization of elements is an important environmental implication for mineral depositions. In a wider sense, extracellular vesicles or nanoglobules are intriguing objects in astrobiological discussions about origin of life and Lithopanspermia (McKay et al 1996 ;Kebukawa et al 2009 ;De Gregorio et al 2013 ;Gill and Forterre 2016 ).…”

Kombucha Multimicrobial Community under Simulated Spaceflight and Martian Conditions

“…A number of molecular and biochemical markers of viability of different forms of living organisms including microorganisms, spores and extracellular membrane vesicles (known as protocell nanoglobules), which potentially could serve as 'seeds' of life in the universe, have been proposed (Cohn, 1876;Arhenius, 1903;de Gregorio et al, 2013;Chen and Walde, 2010;Floss et al, 2014;Saha et al, 2014;Gill and Forterre, 2016). In the framework of the multipurpose international project "BIOlogical and Mars Experiment (BIOMEX)", a variety of organo-mineral samples were integrated into the EXPOSE-R2 platform to study vitality of pro-and eukaryotic organisms and stability of organic biomolecules as putative biomarkers (de Vera et al, 2012).…”

Femtoplankton: What’s New?

“…The progressive increase in complexity of bio-mineral complexes at cell emergence requires a critical step where a boundary occurs and separates the living cell system from its environment [ 44 , 45 , 46 ]. The compartmentalization of the primordial soup (i.e., the process that allowed the isolation and creation of a physico-chemical and thermodynamic environment suitable for the synthesis of bio-macromolecules) into vesicles would have favored the emergence of primitive life forms [ 47 ]. These authors also suggested that membrane vesicles could have a role in early cell evolution and may have helped shape the nature of LUCA, our Last Universal Common Ancestor.…”

“…These authors also suggested that membrane vesicles could have a role in early cell evolution and may have helped shape the nature of LUCA, our Last Universal Common Ancestor. Thus, lipid vesicles may have been the first protocells to concentrate RNA before the appearance of ribocells, ancestors of RNA-based cells, that preceded LUCA [ 47 ]. Beside this evolutionary theory, there is no doubt that extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent the smallest cell-like entities surrounded by a lipid structure.…”

“…All of these molecules are involved in essential cell membrane functions, such as substances transfer, cell adhesion, ion conductivity, cell signaling, binding surface for several extracellular structure, etc. [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ]. They also carry elements of the cytoplasm of the producing cells, such as toxins, DNA, RNA, immunomodulatory compounds, communication factors, adhesins, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), enzymes involved in the degradation of peptidoglycans or antibiotics, virulence factors (anthrolysin, coagulases, lipase), etc.…”