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Assembly of Replicating Protocells with Primitive Metabolism.
Caner Karabasoglu1, Aysenur Saytas2, Beril Akgol2
1Chimie Paristech-PSL, 11 Rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France.
Astrobiology
|March 31, 2026
Summary
This review explores how early life may have emerged from prebiotic chemistry, focusing on protocells that grow, divide, and adapt. It highlights coacervation and genotype-phenotype coupling as key to understanding the origins of Darwinian evolution.
Area of Science:
- Origin of Life Research
- Astrobiology
- Evolutionary Chemistry
Background:
- Earth's early evolution involved unpredictable pathways for new species.
- The chemical origins of life and Darwinian evolution likely stemmed from currently unobserved processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in understanding life's emergence from prebiotic chemistry.
- To elucidate pathways and mechanisms leading to life-like behaviors in protocells.
Main Methods:
- Focus on protocell growth, division, and adaptation with encapsulated genetic material.
- Analysis of rudimentary metabolism formation from prebiotic chemistry.
- Examination of genotype-to-phenotype coupling and cooperative/competitive evolutionary pathways.
Main Results:
- Protocells with genetic material can exhibit life-like behaviors.
- Coacervation via liquid-liquid phase separation is a critical factor.
- Studying protocellular populations is essential for understanding early Darwinian evolution.
Conclusions:
- The transition from nonliving to living entities on early Earth was likely gradual.
- Analogies from extant life's physical and chemical dynamics offer insights.
- Protocell populations are crucial for investigating the onset of Darwinian evolution.
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