Compositional heterogeneity confers selective advantage to model protocellular membranes during the origins of cellular life.

ABSTRACT: Protocellular membranes are thought to be composed of mixtures of single chain amphiphiles, such as fatty acids and their derivatives, moieties that would have been part of the complex prebiotic chemical landscape. The composition and physico-chemical properties of these prebiological membranes would have been significantly affected and regulated by their environment. In this study, pertinent properties were systematically characterized, under early Earth conditions. Two different fatty acids were mixed with their respective alcohol and/or glycerol monoester derivatives to generate combinations of binary and tertiary membrane systems. Their properties were then evaluated as a function of multiple factors including their stability under varying pH, varying Mg²⁺ ion concentrations

SUBMITTER: Sarkar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7066133 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature