An inorganic mineral-based protocell with prebiotic radiation fitness.

ABSTRACT: Protocell fitness under extreme prebiotic conditions is critical in understanding the origin of life. However, little is known about protocell's survival and fitness under prebiotic radiations. Here we present a radioresistant protocell model based on assembly of two types of coacervate droplets, which are formed through interactions of inorganic polyphosphate (polyP) with divalent metal cation and cationic tripeptide, respectively. Among the coacervate droplets, only the polyP-Mn droplet is radiotolerant and provides strong protection for recruited proteins. The radiosensitive polyP-tripeptide droplet sequestered with both proteins and DNA could be encapsulated inside the polyP-Mn droplet, and form into a compartmentalized protocell. The protocell protects the inner nucleoid-like condensa

SUBMITTER: Dai S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10698201 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature