Experimental studies aimed at the non-enzymatic synthesis of biopolymers and membrane components have been performed under conditions approximating prebiotic Earth. Water-air interfaces were demonstrated to be auspicious environments for condensation of amino acids into peptides in the absence of biological enzymes, using in situ infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy. In aqueous environments, simulated sunlight acting on a simple single chain oxoacid is shown to generate double tailed surfactants, which spontaneously self-assemble into stable vesicles. The relevance of these experimental results to the emergence of protocells will be discussed.

Using water-air interfaces to build complexity in prebiotic systems

248th National Meeting (2014)

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