title: Peptide-dominated membranes preceding the genetic takeover by RNA: latest thinking on a classic controversy.
abstract: It is commonly presumed that abiotic membranes were colonized by proteins later on. Yet, hydrophobic peptides could have formed primordial protein-dominated membranes on their own. In a metabolism-first context, "autocatalytically closed" sets of statistical peptides could organize a self-maintaining protometabolism, assisted by an unfolding set of ribotide-related cofactors. Pairwise complementary ribotide cofactors may have formed docking guides for stochastic peptide formation, before replicating RNA emerged from this subset. Tidally recurring wet-drying cycles and an early onset of photosynthetic activities are considered most likely to meet the thermodynamic requirements. Conceivably, the earliest peptide-dominated vesicles were engaged in light harvesting, together with isoprenoid-tethered pigments, rather than providing an external boundary. Early on, the bulk of prebiotic organic matter can have formed a contiguous layer covering the mineral sediment, held in place by colloidal coherence of a hydrogel matrix. This unconventional scenario assumes a late onset of cellular individualization - perhaps from within, resembling endosporogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen Biocenter, Copenhagen, Denmark. regel@bio.ku.dk
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Egel
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004777:Environment; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D012313:RNA