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Cited by 125Origins and Evolution of LifeChemical and Physical Properties in Aqueous SolutionsRNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

Rapid RNA Exchange in Aqueous Two-Phase System and Coacervate Droplets

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Jia, Tony Z., Hentrich, Christian, Szostak, Jack W.·2014·Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres
DOI 10.1007/s11084-014-9355-8PMC PMC4141154
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Abstract

Compartmentalization in a prebiotic setting is an important aspect of early cell formation and is crucial for the development of an artificial protocell system that effectively couples genotype and phenotype. Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPSs) and complex coacervates are phase separation phenomena that lead to the selective partitioning of biomolecules and have recently been proposed as membrane-free protocell models. We show in this study through fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) microscopy that despite the ability of such systems to effectively concentrate RNA, there is a high rate of RNA exchange between phases in dextran/polyethylene glycol ATPS and ATP/poly-L-lysine coacervate droplets. In contrast to fatty acid vesicles, these systems would not allow effective segregation and consequent evolution of RNA, thus rendering these systems ineffective as model protocells.

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  • In some coacervates, the RNA components exchange rapidly between droplets, so there may not be the degree of isolation required for Darwinian behavior.

    “Furthermore, in some coacervates, the RNA components exchange rapidly between droplets, so there may not be the degree of isolation required for Darwinian behavior (Jia et al. 2014).”

    From Protocells and RNA Self-Replication (2018) · cites this paper as Jia et al. 2014

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Jia, T. Z., Hentrich, C., & Szostak, J. W.
Affiliations
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Szostak, Jack W.
ORCID
Venue
Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2014-02
Volume
44
Issue
1
Pages
1-12
ISSN
  • 0169-6149 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-0875
DOI
10.1007/s11084-014-9355-8
PMC
PMC4141154
OpenAlex
W2104838697
Cited by
125
References
6
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 3
FWCI
3.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) (Harvard University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
  • Physical Sciences › Chemical Engineering › Filtration and Separation › Chemical and Physical Properties in Aqueous Solutions
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
Keywords
aqueous two-phase systems, coacervate droplets, compartmentalization, prebiotic evolution, phase separation, poly-L-lysine
MeSH terms
Origin of Life, RNA, Evolution, Molecular, Evolution, Chemical, Artificial Cells

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