‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life
While most advances in the study of the origin of life on Earth (OoLoE) are piecemeal, tested against the laws of chemistry and physics, ultimately the goal is to develop an overall scenario for life’s origin(s). However, the dimensionality of non-equilibrium chemical systems, from the range of poss...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/7/690 |
| _version_ | 1797526749337092096 |
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| author | Clifford F. Brunk Charles R. Marshall |
| author_facet | Clifford F. Brunk Charles R. Marshall |
| author_sort | Clifford F. Brunk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | While most advances in the study of the origin of life on Earth (OoLoE) are piecemeal, tested against the laws of chemistry and physics, ultimately the goal is to develop an overall scenario for life’s origin(s). However, the dimensionality of non-equilibrium chemical systems, from the range of possible boundary conditions and chemical interactions, renders the application of chemical and physical laws difficult. Here we outline a set of simple criteria for evaluating OoLoE scenarios. These include the need for containment, steady energy and material flows, and structured spatial heterogeneity from the outset. The Principle of Continuity, the fact that all life today was derived from first life, suggests favoring scenarios with fewer non-analog (not seen in life today) to analog (seen in life today) transitions in the inferred first biochemical pathways. Top-down data also indicate that a complex metabolism predated ribozymes and enzymes, and that full cellular autonomy and motility occurred post-LUCA. Using these criteria, we find the alkaline hydrothermal vent microchamber complex scenario with a late evolving exploitation of the natural occurring pH (or Na<sup>+</sup> gradient) by ATP synthase the most compelling. However, there are as yet so many unknowns, we also advocate for the continued development of as many plausible scenarios as possible. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:34:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d71e125161924345ab6d2b040bdaf664 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:34:44Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-d71e125161924345ab6d2b040bdaf6642023-11-22T04:13:13ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292021-07-0111769010.3390/life11070690‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of LifeClifford F. Brunk0Charles R. Marshall1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USADepartment of Integrative Biology, Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-4780, USAWhile most advances in the study of the origin of life on Earth (OoLoE) are piecemeal, tested against the laws of chemistry and physics, ultimately the goal is to develop an overall scenario for life’s origin(s). However, the dimensionality of non-equilibrium chemical systems, from the range of possible boundary conditions and chemical interactions, renders the application of chemical and physical laws difficult. Here we outline a set of simple criteria for evaluating OoLoE scenarios. These include the need for containment, steady energy and material flows, and structured spatial heterogeneity from the outset. The Principle of Continuity, the fact that all life today was derived from first life, suggests favoring scenarios with fewer non-analog (not seen in life today) to analog (seen in life today) transitions in the inferred first biochemical pathways. Top-down data also indicate that a complex metabolism predated ribozymes and enzymes, and that full cellular autonomy and motility occurred post-LUCA. Using these criteria, we find the alkaline hydrothermal vent microchamber complex scenario with a late evolving exploitation of the natural occurring pH (or Na<sup>+</sup> gradient) by ATP synthase the most compelling. However, there are as yet so many unknowns, we also advocate for the continued development of as many plausible scenarios as possible.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/7/690origin of life scenariosalkaline hydrothermal vent microchambersprebiotic chemistryRNA worldInitial Darwinian Ancestor (IDA)LUCA |
| spellingShingle | Clifford F. Brunk Charles R. Marshall ‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life Life origin of life scenarios alkaline hydrothermal vent microchambers prebiotic chemistry RNA world Initial Darwinian Ancestor (IDA) LUCA |
| title | ‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life |
| title_full | ‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life |
| title_fullStr | ‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life |
| title_short | ‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life |
| title_sort | whole organism systems biology and top down criteria for evaluating scenarios for the origin of life |
| topic | origin of life scenarios alkaline hydrothermal vent microchambers prebiotic chemistry RNA world Initial Darwinian Ancestor (IDA) LUCA |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/11/7/690 |
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