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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
07:20
Bioenergetic Profile Experiment using C2C12 Myoblast Cells
Published on: December 7, 2010
The first cellular bioenergetic process: primitive generation of a proton-motive force
1Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Journal of Molecular Evolution
|October 1, 1991
Summary
The earliest cells may have used hydrogen sulfide oxidation to generate energy, creating a proton gradient for vital functions. This early energy system provided a selective advantage, driving the evolution of life.
Area of Science:
- Origin of life studies
- Biochemistry
- Geochemistry
Background:
- The emergence of early cellular life required a robust energy-transducing system.
- Understanding the initial energy sources for primordial cells is crucial for origin of life research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a plausible model for the energy-transducing system of the first cellular organisms.
- To identify potential reactants and biochemical pathways consistent with early Earth conditions.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling of early biochemical reactions.
- Analysis of proposed reactants' compatibility with early Earth's environment.
- Identification of modern homologs for ancestral energy-transducing components.
Main Results:
- Proposed an energy system fueled by hydrogen sulfide and ferric sulfide oxidation.
- Demonstrated how this process generates a proton gradient across a primitive cell membrane.
- Identified ferredoxins, carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, and ATPase as potential ancestral components.
Conclusions:
- The proposed system offers a viable mechanism for early cellular energy transduction.
- This energy harvesting provided a selective advantage, facilitating Darwinian evolution.
- The model aligns with the predicted chemical composition of the early Earth environment.
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