Theoretical and Computational Approaches to the Study of the Origin of Life

Segrè, Daniel; Lancet, Doron

doi:10.1007/1-4020-2522-x_7

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 143 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Even for optimal rate-enhancement parameters, if the assembly size ( N MAX —immediately prior to fission) is sufficiently greater than the repertoire size ( N G ), no composomes appear. The constraint that needs to be obeyed is N MAX ≤ N G reflecting a ‘Morowitz boundary’ [ 88 ], based on Morowitz's showing that the transmissibility of information through direct inheritance of a molecular composition is related to the size of the assembly and the diversity of its molecular species [ 89 ]. Such constraints have important implications regarding the type of amphiphile assemblies that might show effective GARD reproduction capacity.…”

Section: Replicating Composomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A modified version of the above exploration is a consideration of the standard single environment, but with a substantial molecular repertoire, say N G = 10 4 (versus 10 2 typically used), with unchanged assembly size N MAX = 100. Such a state of affairs is in line with prebiotic chemical realism, with small assemblies embedded in a chemically diverse environment [ 88 ]. The following describes inference, not yet substantiated by simulations.…”

Section: Gard Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is faithfully represented in GARD, where fluctuations arise due to the small assembly size, affecting both the growth kinetics and the fission outcome. Such fluctuations are catalytically augmented, culminating in the appearance of a composome [ 54 , 88 ]. GARD enantioselection is a prime example (§8.1).…”

Section: Gard Is a Dissipative Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks

Lancet

Zidovetzki

Markovitch

2018

J. R. Soc. Interface.

127

183

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Life is that which replicates and evolves, but there is no consensus on how life emerged. We advocate a systems protobiology view, whereby the first replicators were assemblies of spontaneously accreting, heterogeneous and mostly non-canonical amphiphiles. This view is substantiated by rigorous chemical kinetics simulations of the graded autocatalysis replication domain (GARD) model, based on the notion that the replication or reproduction of compositional information predated that of sequence information. GARD reveals the emergence of privileged non-equilibrium assemblies (composomes), which portray catalysis-based homeostatic (concentration-preserving) growth. Such a process, along with occasional assembly fission, embodies cell-like reproduction. GARD pre-RNA evolution is evidenced in the selection of different composomes within a sparse fitness landscape, in response to environmental chemical changes. These observations refute claims that GARD assemblies (or other mutually catalytic networks in the metabolism first scenario) cannot evolve. Composomes represent both a genotype and a selectable phenotype, anteceding present-day biology in which the two are mostly separated. Detailed GARD analyses show attractor-like transitions from random assemblies to self-organized composomes, with negative entropy change, thus establishing composomes as dissipative systems—hallmarks of life. We show a preliminary new version of our model, metabolic GARD (M-GARD), in which lipid covalent modifications are orchestrated by non-enzymatic lipid catalysts, themselves compositionally reproduced. M-GARD fills the gap of the lack of true metabolism in basic GARD, and is rewardingly supported by a published experimental instance of a lipid-based mutually catalytic network. Anticipating near-future far-reaching progress of molecular dynamics, M-GARD is slated to quantitatively depict elaborate protocells, with orchestrated reproduction of both lipid bilayer and lumenal content. Finally, a GARD analysis in a whole-planet context offers the potential for estimating the probability of life's emergence. The invigorated GARD scrutiny presented in this review enhances the validity of autocatalytic sets as a bona fide early evolution scenario and provides essential infrastructure for a paradigm shift towards a systems protobiology view of life's origin.

show abstract

Section: Replicating Composomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Gard Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks

Lancet

Zidovetzki

Markovitch

2018

J. R. Soc. Interface.

127

183

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Instead, it is believed to have been the result of coupled, simple chemical reactions that allowed evolution to act on replicating nanostructures. Theoretically, this hypothesis is the basis of the most relevant modelling approaches available in the literature (see Segre´and Lancet, 2004, for a review). Experimentally, the moment of the synthesis of an artificial nanocell based on this theory seems to be closer than ever (Bartel and Unrau, 1999;Szostak et al, 2001;Luisi, 2002;Pohorille and Deamer, 2002;Rasmussen et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Phenotypic diversity and chaos in a minimal cell model

Munteanu

Solé

2006

Journal of Theoretical Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Protocells: Milestones and Recent Advances

Gözen

Köksal

Põldsalu

et al. 2022

Small

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

to assemble astonishing pieces of a complicated puzzle, and realized that further advancement requires input from multiple branches of science, not just biology as the primary life science. Detailed hypotheses have been established about the different scenarios of the emergence of life, including the "RNA world," [1] the "lipid world," [2] "replicator first," [3] "metabolism first," [4][5][6] and others. Although the origin of life is still surrounded by many open questions, our understanding of chemical, physicochemical, and biochemical processes possibly involved in the ancient events preceding Darwinian evolution has seen much progress. We have come a long way from Leduc's physicochemical, inorganic matter-centered view on the beginning of the evolution, yet the matter of the transition from nonliving to living matter still remains largely unsolved, and one of the great scientific problems of our time.The phylogenetic tree of different living domains reflects that life has evolved from simple to more complex structures, i.e., from single-to multicellular organisms. The oldest fossil evidence dating back 3.5 Gy (billion years) comes from stromatolites, [7][8][9][10] microorganismal residues in sedimentary rocks. [11] There appears to be a gap of knowledge regarding the period of evolution between the first primitive hypothetical cells and the fossilized ancient bacteria, which can be considered as an already advanced form of life. [12] It is highly likely that intermediate primitive cell precursors preceded the single-cell organisms. The hypothetical prebiotic structures that were the stepping stone to first self-sustaining living cells are commonly termed "protocells." The possibility of a strong link between the formation of protocells and the origin of life can today be reasonably assumed.One cannot easily proceed in the context of the evolution of cell-based organisms without briefly illuminating the concept of life as we know it on our planet. Over time, different requirements have been proposed for an entity to be considered alive. According to Tibor Ganti's chemoton model, [13] a protocell contains three autocatalytic subsystems: a membrane subsystem that keeps the components together and intact, a metabolic subsystem that captures energy and material resources, and an information subsystem that processes and transfers heritable information to progeny. To be considered alive, these subsystems must be unified and function co-operatively for the survival and evolution of the supersystem. Pohorille and Deamer suggested a modified set of 7 criteria related to the chemoton. [14] At about the same time, Oro defined the requirements by 10 characteristic features. [15] Despite their differences, these descriptions align well with NASA's broader definition of life: "a self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution."The origin of life is still one of humankind's great mysteries. At the transition between nonliving and living matter, protocells, initially featureless aggregates of abiotic matter, ga...

show abstract

Theoretical and Computational Approaches to the Study of the Origin of Life

Cited by 3 publications

References 143 publications

Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks

Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks

Phenotypic diversity and chaos in a minimal cell model

Protocells: Milestones and Recent Advances

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About