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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 24: Synthetic life-like systems and Origins of Life

BP 24.3: Talk

Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 15:45–16:00, H 1028

Thermal gradients drive separation of ions, naturally creating local niches for the OoL — •Thomas Matreux, Paula Aikkila, Almuth Schmid, Mechthild Rappold, Dieter Braun, and Christof B. Mast — LMU München, Deutschland

Rocks and their constituent phases provided a feedstock for the emergence of life. However, leachate concentrations, diluted by the ocean or retained by chelation processes, were too low to kickstart life and were mostly present in incompatible compositions. We are interested how physical non-equilibria can overcome this problem and offer unique opportunities for molecular selection on all levels.

Ions leached from mineral samples are selectively accumulated by heat flows through water-filled fractures. In contrast to up-concentration by dehydration or freezing, this actively alters the Magnesium:Sodium ratio to an extent that permits key ribozyme activities. Phosphate is liberated and made accessible at neutral pH by thermally driven separation starting from acid-dissolved Apatite, presumably the most abundant phosphorous mineral that is close to insoluble at physiological pH.

Even single ion species such as Na and Cl are fractionated to form pH gradients. In multi-ion systems, thermal gradients can drive the precipitation of otherwise unfavorable species such as Magnesium phosphates.

Heat flows thereby naturally provide local niches with optimized pH and salt conditions for key steps of nascent life.

Keywords: thermal gradients; ribozyme; phosphate; non-equilibrium; origins of life