The synthesis of some lipid-like structures in simulated primeval earth conditions

Simionescu, C. I.; Dénès, F.; Totolin, M.

doi:10.1016/0303-2647(81)90056-3

Cited by 9 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…However, a great challenge remains on the design of such structural architecture from basic ingredients in the plausible prebiotic environment [64][65][66][67]. The role of synthetic microstructures in the origin of life has been discussed previously, and various prebiotic conditions have been suggested for the synthesis of such structures, which includes quenched spark discharge experiments [68], formation of lipid-like structures [69][70][71] and tubular structures in mineral surfaces [72]. In particular, various protocellular structures were obtained from polypeptide formation from four amino acids simulating in a hydration-dehydration cycle of the tidal pool [73], and microspheres were synthesized from simple molecules under the simulated condition of prebiotic times [74].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Signatures of Bio-Molecular Complexity in the Hypervelocity Impact Ejecta of Icy Moon Analogues

Surendra

Dilip

Meka

et al. 2022

Life

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Impact delivery of prebiotic compounds to the early Earth from an impacting comet is considered to be one of the possible ways by which prebiotic molecules arrived on the Earth. Given the ubiquity of impact features observed on all planetary bodies, bolide impacts may be a common source of organics on other planetary bodies both in our own and other solar systems. Biomolecules such as amino acids have been detected on comets and are known to be synthesized due to impact-induced shock processing. Here we report the results of a set of hypervelocity impact experiments where we shocked icy mixtures of amino acids mimicking the icy surface of planetary bodies with high-speed projectiles using a two-stage light gas gun and analyzed the ejecta material after impact. Electron microscopic observations of the ejecta have shown the presence of macroscale structures with long polypeptide chains revealed from LCMS analysis. These results suggest a pathway in which impact on cometary ices containing building blocks of life can lead to the synthesis of material architectures that could have played a role in the emergence of life on the Earth and which may be applied to other planetary bodies as well.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Signatures of Bio-Molecular Complexity in the Hypervelocity Impact Ejecta of Icy Moon Analogues

Surendra

Dilip

Meka

et al. 2022

Life

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“…Remarkably, those n -ROOH (then n -ROH) that formed from alkanes bearing even numbers of carbon atoms were more abundant than those that formed from alkanes bearing odd numbers of carbon atoms, and the stability of n -ROOH increased with the chain length. A few years later, by simulating presumed Archean atmospheric conditions [ 40 ], Simionescu and co-workers showed that cold condensed gas mixtures of CH 4 , NH 3 , and H 2 O produced ill-defined aldo- and keto- compounds of medium molecular weight ( m/z 128 to 559). The presence of keto-groups –CH 2 –C(=O)– was elucidated by 13 C-NMR spectroscopy.…”

Section: Classification Of Prebiotic Amphiphilic Materials As “Incomentioning

confidence: 99%

Prebiotic Lipidic Amphiphiles and Condensing Agents on the Early Earth

Fiore

Strazewski

2016

Life

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It is still uncertain how the first minimal cellular systems evolved to the complexity required for life to begin, but it is obvious that the role of amphiphilic compounds in the origin of life is one of huge relevance. Over the last four decades a number of studies have demonstrated how amphiphilic molecules can be synthesized under plausibly prebiotic conditions. The majority of these experiments also gave evidence for the ability of so formed amphiphiles to assemble in closed membranes of vesicles that, in principle, could have compartmented first biological processes on early Earth, including the emergence of self-replicating systems. For a competitive selection of the best performing molecular replicators to become operative, some kind of bounded units capable of harboring them are indispensable. Without the competition between dynamic populations of different compartments, life itself could not be distinguished from an otherwise disparate array or network of molecular interactions. In this review, we describe experiments that demonstrate how different prebiotically-available building blocks can become precursors of phospholipids that form vesicles. We discuss the experimental conditions that resemble plausibly those of the early Earth (or elsewhere) and consider the analytical methods that were used to characterize synthetic products. Two brief sections focus on phosphorylating agents, catalysts and coupling agents with particular attention given to their geochemical context. In Section 5, we describe how condensing agents such as cyanamide and urea can promote the abiotic synthesis of phospholipids. We conclude the review by reflecting on future studies of phospholipid compartments, particularly, on evolvable chemical systems that include giant vesicles composed of different lipidic amphiphiles.

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Abiotic Synthesis and Role of Amphiphiles in the Encapsulation Process in Life’s Origin

Lopez

Chieffo

Fiore

2021

Prebiotic Chemistry and the Origin of Life

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The synthesis of some lipid-like structures in simulated primeval earth conditions

Cited by 9 publications

References 9 publications

New Signatures of Bio-Molecular Complexity in the Hypervelocity Impact Ejecta of Icy Moon Analogues

New Signatures of Bio-Molecular Complexity in the Hypervelocity Impact Ejecta of Icy Moon Analogues

Prebiotic Lipidic Amphiphiles and Condensing Agents on the Early Earth

Abiotic Synthesis and Role of Amphiphiles in the Encapsulation Process in Life’s Origin

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