title: Hypothesis: the origin of life in a hydrogel environment.
abstract: A hypothesis is proposed that the first cell(s) on the Earth assembled in a hydrogel environment. Gel environments are capable of retaining water, oily hydrocarbons, solutes, and gas bubbles, and are capable of carrying out many functions, even in the absence of a membrane. Thus, the gel-like environment may have conferred distinct advantages for the assembly of the first cell(s).
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Department of Environmental Biology, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1. jtrevors@uoguelph.ca
authors.forename: Jack T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Trevors
authors.forename: Gerald H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Pollack
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D018534:Earth, Planet; D017753:Ecosystem; D019418:Evolution, Chemical; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D000069497:Origin of Life
chemical_list: D020100:Hydrogels