Proto-Neurons from Abiotic Polypeptides

Autor: Panagiotis Mougkogiannis, Andrew Adamatzky
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Encyclopedia, Vol 4, Iss 1, Pp 512-543 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2673-8392
DOI: 10.3390/encyclopedia4010034
Popis: To understand the origins of life, we must first gain a grasp of the unresolved emergence of the first informational polymers and cell-like assemblies that developed into living systems. Heating amino acid mixtures to their boiling point produces thermal proteins that self-assemble into membrane-bound protocells, offering a compelling abiogenic route for forming polypeptides. Recent research has revealed the presence of electrical excitability and signal processing capacities in proteinoids, indicating the possibility of primitive cognitive functions and problem-solving capabilities. This review examines the characteristics exhibited by proteinoids, including electrical activity and self-assembly properties, exploring the possible roles of such polypeptides under prebiotic conditions in the emergence of early biomolecular complexity. Experiments showcasing the possibility of unconventional computing with proteinoids as well as modelling proteinoid assemblies into synthetic proto-brains are given. Proteinoids’ robust abiogenic production, biomimetic features, and computational capability shed light on potential phases in the evolution of polypeptides and primitive life from the primordial environment.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals
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