The processes and events which have led to the emergence of complexity of living matter can be considered both from historical perspectives (time, geophysics, chemistry) and a-historical perspectives (principles underlying the transition from inanimate to living matter). This talk is concerned with principles that define the chemistry-biology interface.Molecular organization in inanimate matter can be characterized by the principle: thermodynamically stable states are molecular configurations which maximize entropy. Molecular organization in living matter can be described by an entropic selection principle: evolutionarily stable configurations are extremal states of entropy � maximum entropy, when energy sources are constant and diverse, minimum entropy when resources are singular and have variable abundance. We will discuss the relation between the thermodynamic law and the entropic selection principle, for driving a non-living molecular assembly to a complex metabolic system. This characterization suggests experiments that could elucidate the causal and bioenergetic basis for the origin of life.

Origin of life: Thermodynamic and evolutionary considerations

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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