The origin of life remains one of the greatest mysteries of science. How did the first cell emerge from inanimate matter? What chemical and biological processes led to the fundamental characteristics of life, such as DNA and proteins? How can we search for life beyond Earth?
A new study published by Aaron Goldman, Associate Professor of Biology at Oberlin College; Laurie Barge, Research Scientist in Astrobiology at NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and other researchers aims to find answers to all these questions by applying an innovative approach.
“In investigations into the origin of life, scientists employ two primary approaches: the ‘upward’ and the ‘downward’ approaches.
On one hand, the ‘upward’ approach recreates the conditions of the early Earth in the laboratory and observes the types of molecules and reactions that form. On the other, the ‘downward’ approach analyzes the genetic and evolutionary data of present-day organisms and reconstructs the characteristics of their ancient ancestors.
Both approaches have their advantages and limitations. While the ‘upward’ approach can demonstrate how life might have originated, it cannot precisely reveal how it actually did. On the other hand, the ‘downward’ approach can unveil the history of life on Earth, but it cannot trace back to the very origin of life.
“With this new study, scientists have merged the two approaches by investigating a common feature found in all current life forms: electron transport chains, metabolic systems present in all living organisms that utilize the flow of electrons to generate energy and perform vital functions.
The authors suggest that electron transport chains could offer insights into the early metabolic strategies of life and its origins. To achieve this, the authors pose a series of questions that could be investigated from both ‘upward’ and ‘downward’ perspectives.
Some of these inquiries include: What evolutionary advantages do different electron transport chains provide? How do electron transport chains relate to other biological systems, such as DNA or proteins? What environmental conditions facilitate or hinder the operation of electron transport chains?”
The authors hope that this novel interdisciplinary research approach can contribute to a better understanding of what life is, and perhaps even lead to unraveling the enigma of life’s origin and how to search for it on other worlds.
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