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.

生活需要能量和营养。除非我们了解营养的形成和新陈代谢的形成和可用性，否则我们无法理解今天的生活，也无法理解生活的起源。在我们的提议中，我们应对了解养分和能量可能来自生活起源的挑战。我们专注于水热通风孔，这可能存在于宇宙中许多潮湿和岩石的行星上。我们正在开创一种新型的水热通风口策略，该策略涉及从高pH的供体转移的电子转移，pH值下pH值。我们的目标是开始了解可能导致生活起源的能源转移反应。今年，我们有效地为研究主题提案内容做好了准备。具体而言，我们设计了新的自定义玻璃反应器，并将聚合物PDMs视为反应器底物。在操作过程中，我们面临挑战，以保持系统厌氧，以达到类似于地球或其他行星的条件。为了操作反应堆，我们正在实现厌氧反应条件，并通过改变矿物质成分和电子供体 - 受体对来利用各种分析条件。此外，我们正在研究这种pH分离驱动电子转移反应的新型机制如何在宇宙中的水蛋白酶上。