title: Spontaneous crowding of ribosomes and proteins inside vesicles: a possible mechanism for the origin of cell metabolism.
abstract: One of the open questions in the origin of life is the spontaneous formation of primitive cell-like compartments from free molecules in solution and membranes. "Metabolism-first" and "replicator-first" theories claim that early catalytic cycles first evolved in solution, and became encapsulated inside lipid vesicles later on. "Compartment-first" theories suggest that metabolism progressively occurred inside compartments. Both views have some weaknesses: the low probability of co-entrapment of several compounds inside the same compartment, and the need to control nutrient uptake and waste release, respectively. By using lipid vesicles as early-cell models, we show that ribosomes, proteins and lipids spontaneously self-organise into cell-like compartments to achieve high internal concentrations, even when starting from dilute solutions. These findings suggest that the assembly of cell-like compartments, despite its low probability of occurrence, is indeed a physically realistic process. The spontaneous achievement of high local concentration might provide a rational account for the origin of primitive cellular metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Pharmazie, Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena, Lessingstrasse 8, 07743 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Tereza
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pereira de Souza
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steiniger
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stano
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fahr
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Luisi
mesh_terms: D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008081:Liposomes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000069497:Origin of Life; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D011506:Proteins