Lipid globule proposed as a precursor of living cells
Not to be confused with Proteobacteria or Pre-cell.
See also: Evolution of cells
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A protocell (or protobiont) is a self-organized, endogenously ordered, spherical collection of lipids proposed as a rudimentary precursor to cells during the origin of life.[1][2] A central question in evolution is how simple protocells first arose and how their progeny could diversify, thus enabling the accumulation of novel biological emergences over time (i.e. biological evolution). Although a functional protocell has not yet been achieved in a laboratory setting, the goal to understand the process appears well within reach.[3][4][5][6]
A protocell is a pre-cell in abiogenesis, and was a contained system consisting of simple biologically relevant molecules like ribozymes, and encapsulated in a simple membrane structure – isolating the entity from the environment and other individuals – thought to consist of simple fatty acids, mineral structures, or rock-pore structures.
^Chen, Irene A.; Walde, Peter (July 2010). "From Self-Assembled Vesicles to Protocells". Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2 (7): a002170. doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a002170. PMC 2890201. PMID 20519344.
^Garwood, Russell J. (2012). "Patterns In Palaeontology: The first 3 billion years of evolution". Palaeontology Online. 2 (11): 1–14. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
^Chen, Irene A. (8 December 2006). "The Emergence of Cells During the Origin of Life". Science. 314 (5805): 1558–59. doi:10.1126/science.1137541. PMID 17158315.
^Zimmer, Carl (26 June 2004). "What Came Before DNA?". Discover Magazine: 1–5.
^Rasmussen, Steen (2 July 2014). "Scientists Create Possible Precursor to Life". A Letters Journal Exploring the Frontiers of Physics. Vol. 107, no. 2. Astrobiology Web. Retrieved 2014-10-24.
A protocell (or protobiont) is a self-organized, endogenously ordered, spherical collection of lipids proposed as a rudimentary precursor to cells during...
lifelike behavior of laboratory-created protocells. Armstrong synthesized and filmed the protocells of Protocell Circus at the laboratory of the Bartlett...
techniques. The protocell technique, however, also lends itself well to applications; similar to other synthetic biology byproducts, protocells could be employed...
functional properties; that is, they are a model of primitive cells, or protocells. It was first synthesised by Krishna Bahadur (20 January 1926 — 5 August...
limited resource conditions, the protocell reproductive rate would likely be inversely related to ploidy number. The protocell's fitness would be reduced by...
intermediates. Protocells in contact with a thin rock barrier in a hydrothermal vent get a free supply of energy from the pH gradient. Protocells in a hydrothermal...
proteinoid microspheres proposed to be primitive cells (protocells) on early Earth. Coacervate-like protocells are at the core of the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis...
Antarctica. 3600 Eoarchean First uncontroversial living organisms: at first protocells with RNA-based genes around 4000 Ma, after which true cells (prokaryotes)...
are hypothesized (by some) to be a previously unknown form of life or protocells.[citation needed] It is a living organism (contains DNA or some analogue...
universal common ancestor Earliest known life forms ?RNA life Ribozyme †Protocell Coacervate Proteinoid Sulphobe Research Model lipid bilayer Jeewanu See...
clays as well. The largest unanswered question in evolution is how simple protocells first arose and differed in reproductive contribution to the following...
bottom-up approach to build an artificial cell would involve creating a protocell de novo, entirely from non-living materials. As the term "cell" implies...
low solubility in water. Pyrophosphite could have been present within protocells, however all modern life forms use pyrophosphate for energy storage. Kee...
have been taken from simple organic molecules via pre-cellular life to protocells and metabolism. Although there is no universal agreement on the definition...
much of the basic features provided by cell membranes. Proteinoid-based protocells enclosing RNA molecules could have been the first cellular life forms...
lipids and amino acids. It is believed that of this multiplicity of protocells, only one line survived. Current phylogenetic evidence suggests that the...
that these were some form of prokaryotes, which may have evolved out of protocells, while the eukaryotes evolved later in the history of life. Some authors...
common ancestor from simple organic molecules via pre-cellular life to protocells and metabolism. In 2016, a set of 355 genes from the last universal common...
around the dissolved lipophilic molecule. The formation of lipids into protocell membranes represents a key step in models of abiogenesis, the origin of...
Benjamins. p. 203. ISBN 978-9027211194. Bedau, Mark (2009). The ethics of protocells. Boston, Massachusetts; London, England: Mit Press. pp. 341. ISBN 978-0-262-01262-1...
universal common ancestor Earliest known life forms ?RNA life Ribozyme †Protocell Coacervate Proteinoid Sulphobe Research Model lipid bilayer Jeewanu See...
density and energy conversion efficiency. In 2009, they made synthetic protocells which can provide about a twentieth of the energy density of a lead–acid...
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