The origins of heredity in the emergence of living systems

Nick Lane (primary)
GEE
University College London
Andrew Pomiankowski (secondary)
GEE
University College London

Abstract

Prebiotic chemistry can form various organic molecules, including nucleotides, under plausible primordial conditions. However, it has proved difficult to polymerize nucleotides to form RNA or DNA in aqueous solution, and in the absence of cellular compartments RNA is selected for replication speed rather than encoding metabolism. Autotrophic metabolism in bacteria and archaea is driven by electrochemical ion gradients across the plasma membrane to fix carbon. Preliminary mathematical modelling suggests that a rudimentary form of membrane heredity could drive growth and ultimately RNA synthesis within cells. This project would develop this modelling and test specific predictions in a bench-top hydrothermal reactor.


References

  1. West T, Sojo V, Pomiankowski A, Lane N. The origin of heredity in protocells. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. In press; 2017
  2. Sojo V, Herschy B, Whicher A, Camprubi E, Lane N. The origin of life in alkaline hydrothermal vents. Astrobiology. 16(2): 181-197; 2016.
  3. Sojo V, Pomiankowski A, Lane N. A bioenergetic basis for membrane divergence in archaea and bacteria. PLOS Biology. 12(8): e1001926; 2014.
  4. Herschy B, Whicher A, Camprubi E, Watson C, Dartnell L, Ward J, Evans JRG, Lane N. An origin-of-life reactor to simulate alkaline hydrothermal vents. J. Mol. Evol. 79: 213-227; 2014.
  5. Lane N, Martin WF. The origin of membrane bioenergetics. Cell 151: 1406-12; 2012.

BBSRC Area
Molecules, cells and industrial biotechnology
Area of Biology
Chemical BiologyEvolution
Techniques & Approaches
BiochemistryChemistryEngineeringImage ProcessingMicroscopy / ElectrophysiologySimulation / Modelling