Publications by authors named "Sara Murillo-Sanchez"
Conceiving the process of biogenesis as the evolutionary development of highly dynamic and integrated protocell populations provides the most appropriate framework to address the difficult problem of how prebiotic chemistry bridged the gap to full-fledged living organisms on the early Earth. In this contribution we briefly discuss the implications of taking dynamic, functionally integrated protocell systems (rather than complex reaction networks in bulk solution, sets of artificially evolvable replicating molecules, or even these same replicating molecules encapsulated in passive compartments) as the proper units of prebiotic evolution. We highlight, in particular, how the organisational features of those chemically active and reactive protocells, at different stages of the process, would strongly influence their corresponding evolutionary capacities.
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- This study investigates the connection between prebiotic peptide chemistry and lipid structures by examining the reaction of a specific compound with leucinamide in buffered water settings.
- It was found that fatty acids can form vesicles which enhance the reaction yield and stereoselectivity when their concentration exceeds a certain threshold.
- The research suggests that fatty acids not only create environments favorable for peptide reactions but also act as catalysts at the interface with water, supporting theories about the origins of life.