vesicle Archives

The schematic depiction of the dual role of amino acid monomers in nonenzymatic RNA replication (left panel, blue dotted box) and prebiotic compartmentalization (right panel, green dotted box). The background is of a hypothetical early Earth geothermal pool niche, which depicts molecules in a heterogeneous prebiotic milieu. In the case of nonenzymatic replication (left panel), the coexistence of amino acid monomers (stick models) along with the template sequence and the primer RNA (the brown and green colour strands, respectively, in the RNA cartoon), impacts the incoming monomers’ addition during the copying of information (activated nucleotides, multicoloured floating molecules). In case of prebiotic compartmentalization (right panel), these amino acid monomers act as a buffering agent while coexisting with fatty acids, and facilitate robust vesicle formation even at suboptimal pH. -- Astrobiology

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Amino Acids as Molecular Linchpins in the Fundamental Prebiotic Processes of RNA Copying and Vesicle Formation

by Keith CowingApril 1, 2026April 1, 2026

In addition to being delivered via exogenous means (e.g., chondritic meteorites and comets), amino acids are hypothesized to have been present on early Earth via Urey–Miller-type abiotic processes.

Microscopic images of DA:DOH (1:1) vesicles under different conditions. Vesicular flocculation can be observed upon addition of NaCl, as well as reduction in the number of visible particles upon addition of MgCl2. Staining with Rhodamine 6G. Scale bar: 5 µm; Red arrow - unilamellar vesicle; yellow arrow - possible multilamellar vesicle; blue arrow - punctate structure; green arrow - flocs. -- biorxiv.org

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report

Peptides At Vesicle And Mineral Prebiotic Interfaces

by Keith CowingJuly 15, 2025July 14, 2025

The origin of life likely involved a complex interplay between organic molecules and mineral surfaces, yet the molecular details of these interactions remain poorly understood.

vesicle

Amino Acids as Molecular Linchpins in the Fundamental Prebiotic Processes of RNA Copying and Vesicle Formation

Peptides At Vesicle And Mineral Prebiotic Interfaces

Opportunity to Contribute to NASA DARES Community White Paper on Phototrophic Biosignatures

NASA Establishes Mars Forward Operational Risk and Contamination Evaluation (M-FORCE) Tiger Team to Shape Mars Planetary Protection Protocols

Miraflores Butte On Mars

Ocean World Exploration: 2026 American Samoa ROV + Mapping Exploration

Development Of An Adaptive Optics Testbed At MPIA For The ELT/Planetary Camera And Spectrograph (PCS)