Prebiotic Cell Membranes that Survive Extreme Environmental Pressure Conditions |
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| Authors: | Dr Shobhna Kapoor Melanie Berghaus Saba Suladze Daniel Prumbaum Sebastian Grobelny Dr Patrick Degen Prof Dr Stefan Raunser Prof Dr Roland Winter |
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| Institution: | 1. Physical Chemistry I—Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto‐Hahn‐Strasse 6, 44227 Dortmund (Germany);2. Current address: Department of Chemical Biology, Max‐Planck‐Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto‐Hahn‐Strasse 11, 44227 Dortmund (Germany);3. Physical Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto‐Hahn‐Strasse 11, 44227 Dortmund;4. Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universit?t Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195 Berlin (Germany);5. Chair of Physical Chemistry I, Ruhr‐Universit?t Bochum, Universit?tsstrasse 150, 44801 Bochum (Germany) |
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| Abstract: | Attractive candidates for compartmentalizing prebiotic cells are membranes comprised of single‐chain fatty acids. It is generally believed that life may have originated in the depth of the protoocean, that is, under high hydrostatic pressure conditions, but the structure and physical–chemical properties of prebiotic membranes under such conditions have not yet been explored. We report the temperature‐ and pressure‐dependent properties of membranes composed of prebiotically highly‐plausible lipids and demonstrate that prebiotic membranes could not only withstand extreme temperatures, but also serve as robust models of protocells operating in extreme pressure environments. We show that pressure not only increases the stability of vesicular systems but also limits their flexibility and permeability to solutes, while still keeping the membrane in an overall fluid‐like and thus functional state. |
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| Keywords: | biophysical chemistry high hydrostatic pressures prebiotic cell membranes single‐chain fatty acids small‐angle scattering |
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