Self-replicating micelles — a chemical version of a minimal autopoietic system

The aqueous LiOH solution is dispersed in billions of tiny droplets surrounded by sodium octanoate/1-octanol, i.e., reverse micelles (diameter ca. 5 nm).

“Physically, the aqueous LiOH solution is dispersed in billions of tiny droplets surrounded by sodium octanoate/1-octanol, i.e., reverse micelles (diameter ca. 5 nm).”

1-octanol is a cosurfactant essential for constituting stable reverse micelles.

“The alcohol (1-octanol) actually is a cosurfactant, essential for constituting stable reverse micelles.”

The classic model proposed by Luisi and Varela (1989), experimentally validated by Bachmann et al. (1990), serves as a minimal example of WNAI implementations.

“To be more specific, the classic model proposed by Luisi and Varela (1989), and experimentally validated by Bachmann et al. (1990), serves as a minimal example of WNAI implementations.”

The system consists of 50 mM sodium octanoate as surfactant and aqueous LiOH, in 9:l (v/v) isooctane/l-octanol.

“The system consists of 50 mM sodium octanoate as surfactant and aqueous LiOH, in 9:l (v/v) isooctane/l-octanol.”

The system's dynamics proceed autonomously without need of external control.

“Indeed, the systems dynamics proceed autonomously without need of external control.”

The process starts again, repeatedly, until depletion of LiOH and/or octyl octanoate.

“The process starts again, repeatedly, until depletion of LiOH and/or octyl octanoate.”

This generates more micelle-forming molecules, while the amount of aqueous solution remains constant, decreasing the water-to-surfactant ratio (w0), ultimately leading to reverse micelle destabilization and division.

“This generate more micelle-forming molecules, while the amount of aqueous solution remains constant, decreasing the water-to-surfactant ratio (w 0), ultimately leading to reverse micelle destabilization and division.”

The products remain at the micelle interface, contributing to vary the interfacial composition, interfacial physical features, and local w0.

“the products remains at the micelle interface, contributing to vary either the interfacial composition, the interfacial physical features, and the local w 0”

The reduced molar fraction of octyl octanoate in daughter micelles drives the binding of fresh octyl octanoate.

“the reduced molar fraction of octyl octanoate in daughter micelles drives the binding of fresh octyl octanoate”

The micelle becomes physically unstable and splits into daughter micelles.

“the micelle becomes physically unstable and splits into daughter micelles”

The cycle re-starts.

“and the cycle re-starts”

Octyl octanoate reacts with LiOH guided by the favourable reaction free energy for a saponification.

“it reacts with LiOH guided by the favourable reaction free energy for a saponification”

Octyl octanoate binds to reverse micelles following a thermodynamically driven process of adsorption.

“the precursor octyl octanoate binds to reverse micelles, following a thermodynamically driven process of adsorption”

Octyl octanoate binds to the micelle interface and is transformed into octanoate plus 1-octanol by reacting with LiOH (saponification reaction).

“Octyl octanoate is added, it binds to the micelle interface, and transformed into octanoate plus 1-octanol by reacting with LiOH (saponification reaction).”

The network in Figure 2 represents a possible set of interconnected variables and processes that can be identified in autopoietic reverse micelles, which can serve as a minimal example of WNAI implementations.

“The network represents a possible set of interconnected variables and processes that can be identified in the autopoietic reverse micelles (Luisi and Varela, 1989; Bachmann et al., 1990), which can serve as a minimal example of WNAI implementations.”