Chemiosmotic ATP synthesis by minimal protocells.

ABSTRACT: Energy conservation is crucial to life's origin and evolution. The common ancestor of all cells used ATP synthase to convert proton gradients into ATP. However, pumps generating proton gradients and lipids maintaining proton gradients are not universally conserved across all lineages. A solution to this paradox is that ancestral ATP synthase could harness naturally formed geochemical ion gradients with simpler environmentally provided precursors preceding both proton pumps and biogenic membranes. This runs counter to traditional views that phospholipid bilayers are required to maintain proton gradients. Here, we show that fatty acid membranes can maintain sufficient proton gradients to synthesize ATP by ATP synthase under the steep pH and temperature gradients observed in hydrothermal vent

SUBMITTER: Yu F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11922820 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature