Autocatalytic chemical networks at the origin of metabolism.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-11-2020
Publication Title
Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society
Abstract
Modern cells embody metabolic networks containing thousands of elements and form autocatalytic sets of molecules that produce copies of themselves. How the first self-sustaining metabolic networks arose at life's origin is a major open question. Autocatalytic sets smaller than metabolic networks were proposed as transitory intermediates at the origin of life, but evidence for their role in prebiotic evolution is lacking. Here, we identify reflexively autocatalytic food-generated networks (RAFs)-self-sustaining networks that collectively catalyse all their reactions-embedded within microbial metabolism. RAFs in the metabolism of ancient anaerobic autotrophs that live from H
Department
Institute for Systems Biology
Department
Endocrinology
Recommended Citation
Xavier, Joana C; Hordijk, Wim; Kauffman, Stuart; Steel, Mike; and Martin, William F, "Autocatalytic chemical networks at the origin of metabolism." (2020). Articles, Abstracts, and Reports. 2909.
https://digitalcommons.providence.org/publications/2909
