Autocatalytic chemical networks at the origin of metabolism

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
Joana C XavierWilliam F. Martin

Abstract

Modern cells embody metabolic networks containing thousands of elements and form autocatalytic sets of molecules that produce copies of themselves. How the first self-sustaining metabolic networks arose at life's origin is a major open question. Autocatalytic sets smaller than metabolic networks were proposed as transitory intermediates at the origin of life, but evidence for their role in prebiotic evolution is lacking. Here, we identify reflexively autocatalytic food-generated networks (RAFs)-self-sustaining networks that collectively catalyse all their reactions-embedded within microbial metabolism. RAFs in the metabolism of ancient anaerobic autotrophs that live from H2 and CO2 provided with small-molecule catalysts generate acetyl-CoA as well as amino acids and bases, the monomeric components of protein and RNA, but amino acids and bases without organic catalysts do not generate metabolic RAFs. This suggests that RAFs identify attributes of biochemical origins conserved in metabolic networks. RAFs are consistent with an autotrophic origin of metabolism and furthermore indicate that autocatalytic chemical networks preceded proteins and RNA in evolution. RAFs uncover intermediate stages in the emergence of metabolic networks...Continue Reading

References

Mar 29, 1976·Journal of Molecular Evolution·H B White
Jan 1, 1990·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·G Wächtershäuser
Mar 7, 1986·Journal of Theoretical Biology·S A Kauffman
Feb 1, 1970·Angewandte Chemie·K DeckerR K Thauer
Jan 1, 1982·Carcinogenesis·L R Barrows, P N Magee
Jan 1, 1982·Journal of Molecular Evolution·F J Dyson
Jun 22, 2000·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·H J MorowitzG D Cody
Jul 18, 2001·Journal of the American Chemical Society·R F Zabinski, M D Toney
Mar 25, 2004·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Wim Hordijk, Mike Steel
Jul 17, 2004·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Gonen AshkenasyM Reza Ghadiri
Sep 2, 2004·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Eric Smith, Harold J Morowitz
Jan 18, 2005·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Elchanan Mossel, Mike Steel
Jun 17, 2006·The Quarterly Review of Biology·Robert Shapiro
Jan 27, 2007·Chemical Reviews·Thomas M McCollom, Jeffrey S Seewald
Jan 27, 2007·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·William Martin, Michael J Russell
Nov 28, 2007·Journal of Bacteriology·Gloria HerrmannWolfgang Buckel
Jan 25, 2008·PLoS Biology·Leslie E Orgel
Dec 3, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Randy B StockbridgeRichard Wolfenden
Feb 10, 2011·Standards in Genomic Sciences·Iain AndersonNikos C Kyrpides
Jun 21, 2011·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Wim HordijkMike Steel
Oct 12, 2012·Acta Biotheoretica·Wim HordijkStuart Kauffman
Oct 19, 2012·Nature·Nilesh VaidyaNiles Lehman
Apr 29, 2014·Molecular Systems Biology·Markus A KellerMarkus Ralser
May 9, 2014·Bioinformatics·Ines ThieleRonan M T Fleming
Jan 1, 2011·Life·Stuart A Kauffman
Jan 23, 2015·Frontiers in Microbiology·David J Martínez-CanoLuis Delaye
Jan 27, 2015·Current Opinion in Biotechnology·Markus A KellerMarkus Ralser
Mar 10, 2015·FEBS Letters·Erick A ArguetaTanya L Schneider
Mar 25, 2015·Nature Chemistry·Bhavesh H PatelJohn D Sutherland
May 23, 2015·Integrative Biology : Quantitative Biosciences From Nano to Macro·M Ahsanul IslamGregory Stephanopoulos
May 23, 2015·Journal of Systems Chemistry·Filipa L SousaWilliam F Martin
Jun 10, 2015·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jill M McDermottSean P Sylva
Nov 19, 2015·Trends in Microbiology·Peter SchönheitWilliam F Martin
Jul 28, 2016·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·F Peter Guengerich
Aug 27, 2016·Nature Microbiology·Madeline C WeissWilliam F Martin
Mar 7, 2017·Cell·Joshua E GoldfordDaniel Segrè
Sep 30, 2017·Nature·Takayuki TashiroTsuyoshi Komiya
Nov 7, 2017·Nucleic Acids Research·António J M RibeiroJanet M Thornton

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jun 10, 2020·Chembiochem : a European Journal of Chemical Biology·Xin-Yi Chu, Hong-Yu Zhang
Oct 8, 2020·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Mike SteelDaniel H Huson
Nov 30, 2020·Acta Biotheoretica·Seymour Garte
Feb 11, 2021·Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere : the Journal of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life·Izabela K Sibilska-Kaminski, John Yin
Dec 9, 2020·Entropy·Andrea Roli, Stuart A Kauffman
Oct 29, 2020·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Liane Gabora, Mike Steel
Jan 17, 2021·Entropy·Niles E Lehman, Stuart A Kauffman
May 18, 2020·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Craig C RobertsonDouglas Philp
Mar 28, 2021·Communications Biology·Joana C XavierWilliam F Martin
Jul 28, 2021·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Liane Gabora, Mike Steel
Aug 15, 2021·Journal of Theoretical Biology·Alessandro Ravoni

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

LUCA

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

BioRxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
Joana C XavierWilliam F. Martin
Journal of Theoretical Biology
Mike SteelJoshua I Smith
Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
Mike SteelJoana C Xavier
Journal of Systems Chemistry
Filipa L SousaWilliam F Martin
Nursing Mirror and Midwives Journal
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved