Biopolymers, self-replication

Clearly what we need are verifying experimental demonstrations to help us select among the various mechanisms outlined above for the appearance of a small enantiomeric excess (e.e.) within a mixture of two enantiomers. Only after such an initiating event can an e.e. be amplified into the state of homochirality and enantiomeric purity necessary to permit the emergence of self-replicating biopolymers. In what... 

The relation between self-organization and autocatalysis is discussed in some detail by Burmeister (Burmeister, 1998), and that between chirality and self-organization/self-replication in biopolymers is considered from the theoretical point of view by Avetisov and Goldanski (1991). 

At the molecular level, it is believed that atmospheric conditions prevailing on earth some 4 billion years ago triggered an evolution of simple molecules to more complex forms. Eventually this led to biopolymer formation, which is at the basis of the origin of life. Somewhere along this path transition points such as chirality and self-replication arose, which conferred on evolution a markedly irreversible character. 

Vesicle and micelles are considered to be useful models for minimum protocells that had emerged in prebiotic times [200]. One of their properties should have been to sequester other molecules, including macromolecules, for self-replication. A central enigma to be addressed is related to various routes by which the enantiopure homochiral biopolymers were formed within such architectures. Polymerization of NCA of natural hydrophobic amino acids in water in the presence of phospholipids by Luisi et al. [201] has demonstrated that the hydrophobic environment enhances their rate of polymerization. 

Future studies in this field should be directed toward the synthesis of homochiral polymers that mimic functions of the natural biopolymers, such as catalysis or self-replication. 

Replication processes ensure the transmission of information in biological systems. Biopolymers, such as RNA or DNA, employ a precise pattern of oligonucleotides as their means of storing and passing down information from one generation to another. Peptides are another class of biopolymers that were explored as a platform for the development of self-replicating structures. Compared... 

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