MOLECULAR ORIGINS OF LIFE : PEPTIDE PREBIOTIC EMERGENCE AND EVOLUTION THROUGH A PERMANENT, CYCLIC MOLECULAR ENGINE (THE PRIMARY PUMP). INFLUENCE ON THE EMERGENCE OF HOMOCHIRALITY

摘要

Based on simple, prebiotic chemical reactions of amino acid derivatives, we propose an original scenario accounting for the prebiotic emergence and evolution of polypeptides through a permanent, evolutive molecular engine: the "primary pump", driven by repeated wetting / drying alternations, and continuously fed by "essential" and high-energy molecules. Possible effects of this primary pump, such as the selection of privileged peptide sequences, or the emergence of homochirality are examined.