Emergence of photoautotrophic minimal protocell-like supramolecular assemblies, "Jeewanu" synthesied photo chemically in an irradiated sterilised aqueous mixture of some inorganic and organic substances

Evolutionary Approach to Biological Homochirality

We study a very simple linear evolutionary model based on distribution of protocells by total enantiomeric excess and without any mutual inhibition and show that such model can produce two species with values of total enantiomeric excess in each of the species approaching $$\pm 1$$ ± 1 when there is a global $$L\leftrightarrow D$$ L ↔ D symmetry. We then consider a scenario when there is a small external global asymmetry factor, like weak interaction, and show that only one of the species remains in such a case, and that is the one, which is more efficient in replication. We perform an estimate of the time necessary to reach homochirality in such a model and show that reasonable assumptions lead to an estimate of around 300 thousand years plus or minus a couple of orders of magnitude. Despite this seemingly large time to reach homochirality, the model is immune to racemization because amino acids in the model follow the lifespan of the protocells rather than the time needed to reach homochirality. We show that not needing mutual inhibition in such evolutionary model is due to the difference in the topology of the spaces in which considered model and many known models of biological homochirality operate. Bifurcation-based models operate in disconnected zero-dimensional space (the space is just two points with enantiomeric excess equal $$-1$$ - 1 and $$1$$ 1 ), whereas considered evolutionary model (in its continuous representation) operates in one-dimensional connected space, that is the whole interval between $$-1$$ - 1 and $$1$$ 1 of total enantiomeric excess. We then proceed with the analysis of the replication process in non-homochiral environment and show that replication errors (the probability to attach an amino acid of wrong chirality) result in a smooth decrease of replication time when total enantiomeric excess of the replicated structure moves away from zero. We show that this decrease in replication time is sufficient for considered model to work.

Connecting primitive phase separation to biotechnology, synthetic biology, and engineering

One aspect of the study of the origins of life focuses on how primitive chemistries assembled into the first cells on Earth and how these primitive cells evolved into modern cells. Membraneless droplets generated from liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) are one potential primitive cell-like compartment; current research in origins of life includes study of the structure, function, and evolution of such systems. However, the goal of primitive LLPS research is not simply curiosity or striving to understand one of life's biggest unanswered questions, but also the possibility to discover functions or structures useful for application in the modern day. Many applicational fields, including biotechnology, synthetic biology, and engineering, utilize similar phaseseparated structures to accomplish specific functions afforded by LLPS. Here, we briefly review LLPS applied to primitive compartment research and then present some examples of LLPS applied to biomolecule purification, drug delivery, artificial cell construction, waste and pollution management, and flavor encapsulation. Due to a significant focus on similar functions and structures, there appears to be much for origins of life researchers to learn from those working on LLPS in applicational fields, and vice versa, and we hope that such researchers can start meaningful cross-disciplinary collaborations in the future.