Computer Science
Scientific paper
Dec 2004
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004oleb...34..571t&link_type=abstract
Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere, v. 34, Issue 6, p. 571-597 (2004).
Computer Science
2
Biopolymer Incompatibility, Conjugates, Molecular Mimicry, Molecular Symbioses, Water-In-Water Emulsions, World Of Polysaccharides
Scientific paper
The main idea of this paper is that the primordial soup may be modelled by food systems whose structure-property relationship is based on non-specific interactions between denatured biopolymers. According to the proposed hypothesis, polysaccharides were the first biopolymers that decreased concentration of salts in the primordial soup, `compatibilised' and drove the joint evolution of proto-biopolymers. Synthesis of macromolecules within the polysaccharide-rich medium could have resulted in phase separation of the primordial soup and concentration of the polypeptides and nucleic acids in the dispersed phase particles. The concentration of proto-biopolymer mixtures favoured their cross-linking in hybrid supermacromolecules of conjugates. The cross-linking of proto-biopolymers could occur by hydrophobic, electrostatic interactions, H-bonds due to freezing aqueous mixed biopolymer dispersions and/or by covalent bonds due to the Maillard reaction. Cross-linking could have increased the local concentration of chemically different proto-biopolymers, fixed their relative positions and made their interactions reproducible. Attractive-repulsive interactions between cross-linked proto-biopolymer chains could develop pairing of the monomer units, improved chemical stability (against hydrolysis) and led to their mutual catalytic activity and coding. Conjugates could probably evolve to the first self-reproduced entities and then to specialized cellular organelles. Phase separation of the primordial soup with concentration of conjugates in the dispersed particles has probably resulted in proto-cells.
No associations
LandOfFree
Why Were Polysaccharides Necessary? does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Why Were Polysaccharides Necessary?, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Why Were Polysaccharides Necessary? will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1163625