Fe2+ disproportionation within iron-rich alkaline vent analogues reveals proto-bioenergetic systems

Chloé Truong (), Nil Gaudu, Orion Farr, Adriana Clouet, Daniel Ferry, François Guyot, Georges Ona-Nguema, Christian Ruby, Wolfgang Nitschke, Olivier Grauby and Simon Duval ()
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Chloé Truong: BIP, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS
Nil Gaudu: BIP, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS
Orion Farr: BIP, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS
Adriana Clouet: BIP, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS
Daniel Ferry: CINaM, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS
François Guyot: IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, MNHN, CNRS
Georges Ona-Nguema: IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, MNHN, CNRS
Christian Ruby: LCPME, Université de Lorraine, CNRS
Wolfgang Nitschke: BIP, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS
Olivier Grauby: CINaM, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS
Simon Duval: BIP, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Alkaline hydrothermal vents are plausible environments for the emergence of life on Earth. By means of a simplified analogical reconstruction of the vent-ocean interface of these systems reproducing early Earth conditions, we show that iron (oxy-hydr)oxide minerals may have carried out proto-bioenergetic processes driven by pH and redox gradients. The initial pH gradient precipitates the iron (oxy-hydr)oxide mineral barriers (magnetite, green rust and amakinite) and yields reducing conditions, enabling the production of metallic iron at room temperature via the disproportionation of Fe2+ to Fe3+ and Fe0. The crystallographic association of Fe0 surrounded by magnetite suggests the coupling of Fe3+ / H2 co-production at ambient temperature by amakinite oxidation with the thermodynamically unfavorable reduction of Fe2+ to Fe0. This abiotic disproportionation process coupling exergonic and endergonic reactions may serve as a proto-bioenergetic mechanism increasing the non-equilibrium reduction state of the system and offers an interesting analog of the biological electronic bifurcation reaction, the free energy coupling being a fundamental thermodynamic trait of life-as-we-know-it.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65716-w

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