Self-selection of dissipative assemblies driven by primitive chemical reaction networks

Marta Tena-Solsona, Caren Wanzke, Benedikt Riess, Andreas R. Bausch and Job Boekhoven ()
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Marta Tena-Solsona: Technische Universität München
Caren Wanzke: Technische Universität München
Benedikt Riess: Technische Universität München
Andreas R. Bausch: Technische Universität München
Job Boekhoven: Technische Universität München

Nature Communications, 2018, vol. 9, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Life is a dissipative nonequilibrium structure that requires constant consumption of energy to sustain itself. How such an unstable state could have selected from an abiotic pool of molecules remains a mystery. Here we show that liquid phase-separation offers a mechanism for the selection of dissipative products from a library of reacting molecules. We bring a set of primitive carboxylic acids out-of-equilibrium by addition of high-energy condensing agents. The resulting anhydrides are transiently present before deactivation via hydrolysis. We find the anhydrides that phase-separate into droplets to protect themselves from hydrolysis and to be more persistent than non-assembling ones. Thus, after several starvation-refueling cycles, the library self-selects the phase-separating anhydrides. We observe that the self-selection mechanism is more effective when the library is brought out-of-equilibrium by periodic addition of batches as opposed to feeding it continuously. Our results suggest that phase-separation offers a selection mechanism for energy dissipating assemblies.

Date: 2018
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04488-y

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