The DOI matches its Crossref record; 111 of the 111 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The Lipid World
Open accessAbstract
The continuity of abiotically formed bilayer membranes with similar structures in contemporary cellular life, and the requirement for microenvironments in which large and small molecules could be compartmentalized, support the idea that amphiphilic boundary structures contributed to the emergence of life. As an extension of this notion, we propose here a 'Lipid World' scenario as an early evolutionary step in the emergence of cellular life on Earth. This concept combines the potential chemical activities of lipids and other amphiphiles, with their capacity to undergo spontaneous self-organization into supramolecular structures such as micelles and bilayers. In particular, the documented chemical rate enhancements within lipid assemblies suggest that energy-dependent synthetic reactions could lead to the growth and increased abundance of certain amphiphilic assemblies. We further propose that selective processes might act on such assemblies, as suggested by our computer simulations of mutual catalysis among amphiphiles. As demonstrated also by other researchers, such mutual catalysis within random molecular assemblies could have led to a primordial homeostatic system displaying rudimentary life-like properties. Taken together, these concepts provide a theoretical framework, and suggest experimental tests for a Lipid World model for the origin of life.
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“Not less important, when published mutually catalytic values of lipids from Fendler [82] were analysed, a similar distribution was observed [55].”
From Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks (2018) · cites this paper as [55]
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“In a related vein, heterogeneous micelles bear similarity to globular proteins, being of similar size, having hydrophobic interior and hydrophilic functional surface [55] with catalytic capacities (see next section).”
From Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks (2018) · cites this paper as [55]
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“Lipids are widely thought of as chemically inert non-catalytic compounds whose role is to form membranes. An important aspect of this misconception is the ‘like it is today’ outlook, which infers amphiphile chemical properties based on the molecule types found in present-day cells.”
From Systems protobiology: origin of life in lipid catalytic networks (2018) · cites this paper as [55]
In the citing paper
“Macromolecules lining the walls would have moderated the movement of molecules into and out of the microchambers [64,164]), serving as proto-membranes (Figure 4, step 2c).”
From ‘Whole Organism’, Systems Biology, and Top-Down Criteria for Evaluating Scenarios for the Origin of Life (2021) · cites this paper as [164]
In the citing paper
“The principal capability of membrane vesicles for the early steps of life has been described on numerous occasions [27,28,29]. Recently, it was shown that a possible prebiotic amphiphile (decanoic acid) undergoes distinct binding interactions with nucleobases and proteins [30,31]. So, at this stage, they may serve as containments for initial metabolic steps and, most prominently, as an ensemble of”
From Selection of Prebiotic Molecules in Amphiphilic Environments (2017) · cites this paper as [28]
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Citations
Cites
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Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 11
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Negrón-Mendoza, A. (2023) · Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica Serie de Conferencias · doi:10.22201/ia.14052059p.2023.55.03
Yamaki, N., & Churiki, T. (2026) · Biosystems · doi:10.1016/j.biosystems.2026.105968
Gu, J., Zheng, N., Wang, L., Ma, Q., Zhu, Z., Niu, H., & Yang, H. (2026) · Bioorganic Chemistry · doi:10.1016/j.bioorg.2026.110600
Gaudu, N., Farr, O., Ferry, D., Ona-Nguéma, G., Guyot, F., Nitschke, W., & Duval, S. (2026) · ChemRxiv · doi:10.26434/chemrxiv.15010083/v1
Metadata
- Authors
- Segré, D., Ben-Eli, D., Deamer, D. W., & Lancet, D.
- Affiliations
- Crown Human Genome Center (IL)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lancet, Doron
- Venue
- Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere
- Published
- 2001-02
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 1-2
- Pages
- 119-145
- ISSN
- 0169-6149 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-0875
- OpenAlex
- W1495374002
- Cited by
- 620
- References
- 111
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 30
- FWCI
- 10.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach-Stiftung
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Keywords
- origin of life, amphiphilic molecules, lipid bilayers, micelles, self-organization, prebiotic chemistry, compartmentalization, homeostasis
- MeSH terms
- Origin of Life, Catalysis, Cells, Computer Simulation, Lipase, Lipids, Membranes, Evolution, Chemical
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