New study investigates life’s origins with lipid-based model analysis

Research delving into the lipid-based GARD model to investigate the rare yet dynamic nature of self-reproducing states suggests an enhanced likelihood for the spontaneous emergence of early life. The study was authored by Amit Kahana, Lior Segev, and Doron Lancet.

According to the study published on May 17 by ScienceDirect, the research focuses on the transition from Earth's chaotic pre-life chemistry to the emergence of self-replicating structures. Reportedly, researchers used the Graded Autocatalysis Replication Domain (GARD) model, a computer-simulated and physicochemically rigorous approach to examining lipid-based structures. This model delves into how these structures, amid the diverse and tumultuous environment of early Earth, could transition into self-reproducing entities. By simulating and analyzing the reproductive characteristics of these lipid assemblages, the study claims to offer a closer look at the potential pathways that might have led to the formation of life.

The GARD model sets itself apart by its compatibility with diverse environments and its ability to address spatial demarcation within molecular networks, according to the study. Moreover, it showcases the transfer of compositional information across generations, a key aspect of understanding early life's evolution. The study's detailed analysis revealed a significant finding: compositionally reproducing states, crucial for the emergence of life, are extremely rare. This suggests that a random search for such states in the vast primordial soup would have been highly inefficient. Despite this rarity, an intriguing discovery emerged from the research.

All self-reproducing states identified in the study were also found to be dynamic attractors within the catalytic network, according to the study. This significant finding implies a far greater propensity for the spontaneous emergence of reproductive capabilities and the initial steps of evolution. The dynamic attractor characteristic of these states significantly augments the likelihood of protolife appearance under prebiotic conditions. Thus, the study claims not only to enhance our understanding of life's improbable beginnings but also to open new avenues for exploring how simple chemical systems might have evolved into the complex tapestry of life as we know it.

Authors: Amit Kahana, Lior Segev et al., Attractor dynamics drives self-reproduction in protobiological catalytic networks, Cell Reports Physical Science (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101384