pH Gradient Dependent Geo-Electrochemical Origin of Life on Aqua Planets in the Universe

宇宙中水生行星上与 pH 梯度相关的地球电化学生命起源

基本信息

批准号：
22K18278
负责人：
McGlynn Shawn・E.
金额：
$ 16.47万
依托单位：
Tokyo Institute of Technology
依托单位国家：
日本
项目类别：
Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
财政年份：
2022
资助国家：
日本
起止时间：
2022-06-30 至 2025-03-31
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://kaken.nii.ac.jp/grant/KAKENHI-PROJECT-22K18278/
关键词：
reduction potential catalysis electron transfer origin of life aquaplanet

项目摘要

Life requires energy and nutrients. Unless we understand how nutrients were formed and made available to metabolism, and how energy was first delivered, we cannot understand life today, nor at the origin of life. In our proposal, we address the challenge of understanding where nutrient and energy may have came from for the origin of life. We focus on hydrothermal vents, which may be present on many wet and rocky planets in the universe. We are pioneering a novel strategy of energy flow in hydrothermal vents involving electron transfer from donors at high pH, toacceptors in lower pH. Our goal is to begin to understand energy transfer reactions which could have led to the origin of life.In this year we effectively prepared for the research theme proposal contents. Specifically, we designed new custom glass reactors and additionally considered polymeric PDMS as a reactor substrate as well. We are challenged with keeping the system anaerobic during operation to achieve conditions resembling those of the early Earth or other planets. To operate the reactor, we are achieving anaerobic reaction conditions and utilizing various analytical conditions by varying mineral composition and electron donor-acceptor pair. Furthermore we are investigating how universal this novel mechanism of pH separation driving electron transfer reactions of energy use may be on aquaplanets in the universe.

生命需要能量和营养。除非我们了解营养物质是如何形成并用于新陈代谢，以及能量是如何首先传递的，否则我们无法了解今天的生命，也无法了解生命的起源。在我们的提案中，我们解决了理解生命起源的营养和能量可能来自何处的挑战。我们关注的是热液喷口，它可能存在于宇宙中许多潮湿的岩石行星上。我们正在开创一种新的热液喷口能量流策略，涉及电子从高 pH 值的供体转移到较低 pH 值的受体。我们的目标是开始了解可能导致生命起源的能量转移反应。今年我们有效地准备了研究主题提案的内容。具体来说，我们设计了新的定制玻璃反应器，并另外考虑将聚合 PDMS 作为反应器基材。我们面临的挑战是在运行过程中保持系统无氧，以达到类似于早期地球或其他行星的条件。为了操作反应器，我们通过改变矿物成分和电子供体-受体对来实现厌氧反应条件并利用各种分析条件。此外，我们正在研究这种 pH 分离驱动能源使用电子转移反应的新机制在宇宙中的水行星上的普遍性。