Alkanes increase the stability of early life membrane models under extreme pressure and temperature conditions.

ABSTRACT: Terrestrial life appeared on our planet within a time window of [4.4-3.5] billion years ago. During that time, it is suggested that the first proto-cellular forms developed in the surrounding of deep-sea hydrothermal vents, oceanic crust fractures that are still present nowadays. However, these environments are characterized by extreme temperature and pressure conditions that question the early membrane compartment's capability to endure a stable structural state. Recent studies proposed an adaptive strategy employed by present-day extremophiles: the use of apolar molecules as structural membrane components in order to tune the bilayer dynamic response when needed. Here we extend this hypothesis on early life protomembrane models, using linear and branched alkanes as apolar stabilizing mol

SUBMITTER: Misuraca L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9814696 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature