Dissipative Photochemical Abiogenesis of the Purines
We have proposed that the abiogenesis of life around the beginning of the Archean may have been an example of “spontaneous” microscopic dissipative structuring of UV-C pigments under the prevailing surface ultraviolet solar spectrum. The thermodynamic function of these Archean pigments (the “fundame...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Entropy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/8/1027 |
| _version_ | 1797432242585206784 |
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| author | Claudeth Hernández Karo Michaelian |
| author_facet | Claudeth Hernández Karo Michaelian |
| author_sort | Claudeth Hernández |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We have proposed that the abiogenesis of life around the beginning of the Archean may have been an example of “spontaneous” microscopic dissipative structuring of UV-C pigments under the prevailing surface ultraviolet solar spectrum. The thermodynamic function of these Archean pigments (the “fundamental molecules of life”), as for the visible pigments of today, was to dissipate the incident solar light into heat. We have previously described the non-equilibrium thermodynamics and the photochemical mechanisms which may have been involved in the dissipative structuring of the purines adenine and hypoxanthine from the common precursor molecules of hydrogen cyanide and water under this UV light. In this article, we extend our analysis to include the production of the other two important purines, guanine and xanthine. The photochemical reactions are presumed to occur within a fatty acid vesicle floating on a hot (∼80 °C) neutral pH ocean surface exposed to the prevailing UV-C light. Reaction–diffusion equations are resolved under different environmental conditions. Significant amounts of adenine (∼<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn></mrow></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> M) and guanine (∼<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>6</mn></mrow></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> M) are obtained within 60 Archean days, starting from realistic concentrations of the precursors hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen (∼<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn></mrow></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> M). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:58:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-952dbafc86bb43e683a4d0e09401bfb6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1099-4300 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:58:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Entropy |
| spelling | doaj.art-952dbafc86bb43e683a4d0e09401bfb62023-12-01T23:38:49ZengMDPI AGEntropy1099-43002022-07-01248102710.3390/e24081027Dissipative Photochemical Abiogenesis of the PurinesClaudeth Hernández0Karo Michaelian1Department of Physics, Division of Exact and Natural Sciences, Campus Hermosillo, Universidad de Sonora, Hermosillo C.P. 83067, MexicoDepartment of Nuclear Physics and Application of Radiation, Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Interior de la Investigación Científica, Cuidad Universitaria, Cuidad de México C.P. 04510, MexicoWe have proposed that the abiogenesis of life around the beginning of the Archean may have been an example of “spontaneous” microscopic dissipative structuring of UV-C pigments under the prevailing surface ultraviolet solar spectrum. The thermodynamic function of these Archean pigments (the “fundamental molecules of life”), as for the visible pigments of today, was to dissipate the incident solar light into heat. We have previously described the non-equilibrium thermodynamics and the photochemical mechanisms which may have been involved in the dissipative structuring of the purines adenine and hypoxanthine from the common precursor molecules of hydrogen cyanide and water under this UV light. In this article, we extend our analysis to include the production of the other two important purines, guanine and xanthine. The photochemical reactions are presumed to occur within a fatty acid vesicle floating on a hot (∼80 °C) neutral pH ocean surface exposed to the prevailing UV-C light. Reaction–diffusion equations are resolved under different environmental conditions. Significant amounts of adenine (∼<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn></mrow></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> M) and guanine (∼<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>6</mn></mrow></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> M) are obtained within 60 Archean days, starting from realistic concentrations of the precursors hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen (∼<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn></mrow></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> M).https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/8/1027origin of lifedissipative structuringnon-equilibrium thermodynamicsprebiotic chemistryabiogenesisadenine |
| spellingShingle | Claudeth Hernández Karo Michaelian Dissipative Photochemical Abiogenesis of the Purines Entropy origin of life dissipative structuring non-equilibrium thermodynamics prebiotic chemistry abiogenesis adenine |
| title | Dissipative Photochemical Abiogenesis of the Purines |
| title_full | Dissipative Photochemical Abiogenesis of the Purines |
| title_fullStr | Dissipative Photochemical Abiogenesis of the Purines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dissipative Photochemical Abiogenesis of the Purines |
| title_short | Dissipative Photochemical Abiogenesis of the Purines |
| title_sort | dissipative photochemical abiogenesis of the purines |
| topic | origin of life dissipative structuring non-equilibrium thermodynamics prebiotic chemistry abiogenesis adenine |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/24/8/1027 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT claudethhernandez dissipativephotochemicalabiogenesisofthepurines AT karomichaelian dissipativephotochemicalabiogenesisofthepurines |