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Stem Life: A Framework for Understanding the Prebiotic-Biotic Transition.

Gregory P Fournier1

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|September 8, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Abiogenesis is reframed from a linear progression to "Stem Life," a diverse prebiosphere where early life emerged alongside extinct chemical systems. This perspective enriches understanding of life's origins and definition.

Keywords:
CladisticsEvolutionLUCAPrebiotic chemistry

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Area of Science:

  • Origins of Life research
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Astrobiology

Background:

  • Traditional abiogenesis models propose a linear, ladder-like chemical evolution.
  • This contrasts with established evolutionary principles of diversification and extinction.
  • The concept of a singular ancestral lineage is deeply ingrained in evolutionary thought.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a new paradigm for abiogenesis called "Stem Life."
  • To integrate abiogenesis within a broader evolutionary framework of chemical systems and hereditary lineages.
  • To re-examine definitions of life, the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA), and prebiotic experiments.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual shift from linear progression to a branching, diverse "prebiosphere" model.
  • Application of natural history analogies to understand diversification and extinction dynamics.
  • Analysis of how this paradigm impacts current debates in origins of life research.

Main Results:

  • Abiogenesis is viewed as part of a complex, co-evolving system with numerous extinct chemical lineages.
  • Extant life's lineage arose within a diverse and dynamic prebiosphere.
  • The

Conclusions:

  • The
  • Stem Life
  • paradigm offers a more robust evolutionary context for abiogenesis.
  • This framework better aligns origins of life with established evolutionary biology principles.
  • It provides new perspectives on defining life and understanding the emergence of LUCA.