Metalloproteins Unit, Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France.
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2019 Jan 2;58(1):42-48. doi: 10.1002/anie.201808438. Epub 2018 Nov 27.
The origin of life is mostly divided into "genetics first" and "metabolism first" hypotheses. The former is based on spark-tube tests and organic species from meteorites and comets, and proposes a heterotrophic origin of life also consistent with the "RNA World" concept. The "metabolism first" hypothesis posits that life began autotrophically on minerals and/or hydrothermal vents. The lack of direct evidence means it is not possible to lend solid support to either hypothesis but the "metabolism first" option can be explored if a continuous geochemical, catalytically dynamic process is assumed. Using this approach, it is speculated that purine and pyrimidine synthesis originated on a mineral surface, which was later replaced by ATP. The same applies to redox processes where metal-bound hydrides could have been replaced by NAD.
生命起源主要分为“遗传先成说”和“代谢先成说”。前者基于火花管实验和陨石及彗星中的有机物质，提出了与“RNA 世界”概念一致的异养起源生命；而“代谢先成说”假设生命始于矿物质和/或热液喷口的自养。由于缺乏直接证据，无法对任何一种假说提供确凿支持，但如果假设存在连续的地球化学催化动态过程，就可以探索“代谢先成说”的可能性。通过这种方法，推测出嘌呤和嘧啶的合成起源于矿物表面，后来被 ATP 取代。同样适用于氧化还原过程，其中金属结合的氢化物可能被 NAD 取代。
