Phospholipids are essential components of biological membranes and are involved in cell
signalization, in several enzymatic reactions, and in energy metabolism. In addition …

Membrane compartmentalization is a fundamental feature of contemporary cellular life.
Given this, it is rational to assume that at some stage in the early origins of life, membrane …

There is currently no plausible path for the emergence of a self-replicating protocell,
because prevalent formulations of model protocells are built with fatty acid vesicles that …

There is a general assumption that amphiphilic compounds, such as fatty acids, readily form
membranous vesicles when dispersed in aqueous phases. However, from earlier studies, it …

The structure of the metabolic network is highly conserved, but we know little about its
evolutionary origins. Key for explaining the early evolution of metabolism is solving a …

It is common to compare life with machines. Both consume fuel and release waste to run. In
biology, the engine that drives the living system is referred to as metabolism. However …

The unique biophysical and biochemical properties of lipids render them crucial in most
models of the origin of life (OoL). Many studies have attempted to delineate the prebiotic …

To date, multiple mechanisms have been described for the growth and division of model
protocells, all of which exploit the lipid dynamics of fatty acids. In some examples, the more …

The traditional route to investigating biology by perturbing living systems or by individually
purifying and characterizing component parts is giving way to more complex endeavors …

Fundamental research at the interface of chemistry and biology has the potential to shine
light on the question of how living cells can be synthesized from inanimate matter thereby …