Abstract
A model [Wächtershäuser, G. (1988) Microbiol. Rev. 52, 452-484], according to which life started in the form of a monomolecular layer of interacting anionic metabolites electrostatically bound to a positively charged surface, is examined critically. The model raises a number of thermodynamic and kinetic difficulties.
Keywords: origin of life, surface chemistry
Full text
PDF



Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Borowska Z. K., Mauzerall D. C. Efficient near ultraviolet light induced formation of hydrogen by ferrous hydroxide. Orig Life Evol Biosph. 1987;17:251–259. doi: 10.1007/BF02386465. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- DAVIS B. D. On the importance of being ionized. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1958 Dec;78(2):497–509. doi: 10.1016/0003-9861(58)90374-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Joyce G. F. RNA evolution and the origins of life. Nature. 1989 Mar 16;338(6212):217–224. doi: 10.1038/338217a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MILLER S. L. A production of amino acids under possible primitive earth conditions. Science. 1953 May 15;117(3046):528–529. doi: 10.1126/science.117.3046.528. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Prigogine I., Nicolis G. Biological order, structure and instabilities. Q Rev Biophys. 1971 Aug;4(2):107–148. doi: 10.1017/s0033583500000615. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Stribling R., Miller S. L. Energy yields for hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde syntheses: the HCN and amino acid concentrations in the primitive ocean. Orig Life Evol Biosph. 1987;17(3-4):261–273. doi: 10.1007/BF02386466. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Urey H. C. On the Early Chemical History of the Earth and the Origin of Life. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1952 Apr;38(4):351–363. doi: 10.1073/pnas.38.4.351. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Waldrop M. M. Goodbye to the warm little pond? Science. 1990 Nov 23;250(4984):1078–1080. doi: 10.1126/science.11536475. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Westheimer F. H. Why nature chose phosphates. Science. 1987 Mar 6;235(4793):1173–1178. doi: 10.1126/science.2434996. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wolman Y., Haverland W. J., Miller S. L. Nonprotein amino acids from spark discharges and their comparison with the murchison meteorite amino acids. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Apr;69(4):809–811. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.4.809. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wächtershäuser G. Before enzymes and templates: theory of surface metabolism. Microbiol Rev. 1988 Dec;52(4):452–484. doi: 10.1128/mr.52.4.452-484.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wächtershäuser G. Evolution of the first metabolic cycles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1990 Jan;87(1):200–204. doi: 10.1073/pnas.87.1.200. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]