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Cited by 59Origins and Evolution of LifeEvolution and Genetic DynamicsRNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

Evolution and self-assembly of protocells

Solé, Ricard V.·2009·The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
DOI 10.1016/j.biocel.2008.10.004
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Abstract

Cells define the minimal building blocks of life. How cellular life emerged and evolved implies to cross the boundary between living and nonliving matter. Here we explore this problem by presenting several relevant components of the whole picture involving chemistry, physics and natural selection. Available evidence suggests that the basic logic of life can be understood and eventually translated into synthetic forms of cellular life. A simple, physically sound model of information-free protocell replication suggests that the basic logic of how to couple metabolism and container can be more relevant than the specific set of parameters used, thus indicating that the emergence of cells might have been easier than we would expect.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biocel.2008.10.004

Cites

71 of 71 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • The first example, simulated explicitly using dissipative particle dynamics, displays no evolution.

    “The first example, simulated explicitly using dissipative particle dynamics [164], displays no evolution.”

    From Fundamental constraints to the logic of living systems (2024) · cites this paper as [164]

  • Energy minimization of the bending energy of a closed amphiphile assembly provides a wide range of possible shapes, from highly stable spheres to metastable states with local negative curvature required for cell division.

    “Energy minimization, as defined from the solutions of δHb=0, provides a wide range of possible shapes, from highly stable (spheres, for example, with only positive curvature) to others displaying metastable states that imply the presence of local negative curvature (required when cell division occurs) [163,164].”

    From Fundamental constraints to the logic of living systems (2024) · cites this paper as [164]

  • Models have shown that cell division through growth and instability is possible in an information-free context where only metabolism and compartment are present, both in amphiphile-based vesicles and micelles.

    “But models have also shown that such a possibility exists in an information-free context where only metabolism and compartment are present, both in amphiphile-based vesicles [167–169] and micelles [164,170].”

    From Fundamental constraints to the logic of living systems (2024) · cites this paper as [164]

  • In both examples, cell division occurs through growth and instability.

    “In both cases, cell division occurs through growth and instability.”

    From Fundamental constraints to the logic of living systems (2024) · cites this paper as [164]

  • In GARD, homeostatic growth combined with random fission constitutes compositional self-reproduction.

    “In combination with random fission of the grown assembly, induced by, e.g. shear forces or thermodynamic instability [66,67], this entire process constitutes compositional self-reproduction.”

    From Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks (2018) · cites this paper as [67]

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Authors
Solé, R. V.
Affiliations
Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES)
Corresponding author
Solé, Ricard V.
ORCID
Solé, Ricard V.
Venue
The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-02
Volume
41
Issue
2
Pages
274-284
ISSN
1357-2725 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.biocel.2008.10.004
OpenAlex
W2005079170
Cited by
59
References
75
Citations by year
2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 4
FWCI
0.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
Keywords
protocells, origin of life, self-assembly, metabolism, plasma membrane, artificial cells
MeSH terms
Animals, Cell Physiological Phenomena, Biological Evolution, Humans, Models, Biological

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