Life as a nanoscale phenomenon.
The nanoscale is not just the middle ground between molecular and macroscopic but a dimension that is specifically geared to the gathering, processing, and transmission of chemical-based information. Herein we consider the living cell as an integrated self-regulating complex chemical system run principally by nanoscale miniaturization, and propose that this specific level of dimensional constraint is critical for the emergence and sustainability of cellular life in its minimal form. We address key aspects of the structure and function of the cell interface and internal metabolic processing that are coextensive with the up-scaling of molecular components to globular nanoobjects (integral membrane proteins, enzymes, and receptors, etc) and higher-order architectures such as microtubules, ribosomes, and molecular motors. Future developments in nanoscience could provide the basis for artificial life.
Centre for Organized Matter Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK. s.mann@bris.ac.uk
Stephen
S
Mann
D002477:Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D019369:Life; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008954:Models, Biological; D049329:Nanostructures
D046911:Macromolecular Substances