Physical Routes to Primitive Cells: An Experimental Model Based on the Spontaneous Entrapment of Enzymes inside Micrometer-Sized Liposomes

Life
Erica D'AguannoPier Luigi Luisi

Abstract

How did primitive living cells originate? The formation of early cells, which were probably solute-filled vesicles capable of performing a rudimentary metabolism (and possibly self-reproduction), is still one of the big unsolved questions in origin of life. We have recently used lipid vesicles (liposomes) as primitive cell models, aiming at the study of the physical mechanisms for macromolecules encapsulation. We have reported that proteins and ribosomes can be encapsulated very efficiently, against statistical expectations, inside a small number of liposomes. Moreover the transcription-translation mixture, which realistically mimics a sort of minimal metabolic network, can be functionally reconstituted in liposomes owing to a self-concentration mechanism. Here we firstly summarize the recent advancements in this research line, highlighting how these results open a new vista on the phenomena that could have been important for the formation of functional primitive cells. Then, we present new evidences on the non-random entrapment of macromolecules (proteins, dextrans) in phospholipid vesicle, and in particular we show how enzymatic reactions can be accelerated because of the enhancement of their concentration inside liposomes.

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Citations

Nov 4, 2016·Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere : the Journal of the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life·Hai QiaoZhibiao Wang
Dec 13, 2017·Integrative Biology : Quantitative Biosciences From Nano to Macro·Alessio FantiRoberto Marangoni
Jul 8, 2017·Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry·Antoine Danchin
Mar 20, 2019·Chemistry : a European Journal·Pasquale Stano
Dec 10, 2020·Nature Communications·Wiggert J AltenburgJan C M van Hest

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
electronmicroscopy
fluorescence microscopy
confocal microscopy
nucleic acid

Software Mentioned

ImageJ

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