title: Membrane transport in primitive cells.
abstract: Although model protocellular membranes consisting of monoacyl lipids are similar to membranes composed of contemporary diacyl lipids, they differ in at least one important aspect. Model protocellular membranes allow for the passage of polar solutes and thus can potentially support cell-to functions without the aid of transport machinery. The ability to transport polar molecules likely stems from increased lipid dynamics. Selectively permeable vesicle membranes composed of monoacyl lipids allow for many lifelike processes to emerge from a remarkably small set of molecules.
authors.affiliation: Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Synthetic and Reconstructive Biology, Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, Italy. mansy@science.unitn.it
authors.forename: Sheref S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mansy
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D004058:Diffusion; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010539:Permeability; D021381:Protein Transport; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids; D008563:Membrane Lipids