History of Proteinoid Microspheres

The emergence of proteinoid microspheres as scientific objects is predominantly a history of experiments. In a seemingly logical progression, some scholars have deduced that components of cells as we know them arose first. That is to say, nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids arose and then the surrounding cell and its membrane assembled. The experiments have, however, indicated another sequence in evolution. Proteinoid cells arise easily, quickly, and abundantly. This was learned only by experiment. The further incorporation of this phenomenon into evolutionary theory visualizes the extensive evolution of such protocells into modern cells. 

The condensation of amino acids and chemical structure of the respective polymers, chromatograms of their hydrolysates, and morphological features of microspheres have been described.The interaction of appropriate thermal copolyamino acids with hot or cold water proved to be a necessary condition for preparation of microspheres. The proteinoid microspheres are spherical and usually uniform in diameter in the range from 0.5 to 7 pm. Factors controlling size of microspheres are type of polymer, added substances, ratio of solid to liquid component in the mixture, presence and concentration of electrolytes in solution, temperature of solution, and rate of cooling. 

By controlling the proportion of acidic and basic proteinoids in the mixture there can be produced gram-positive or gram-negative units. 

In a first stage of study of the microspheres the phase separation and compartmentalization were examined. The next stage summarized the behavioral properties of these units and the metabolic characteristics. 

In the latest stage, catalytic properties related to internal chemistry structure was examined. The intracellular peptide synthesis was detailed and the concept of origins of a protein synthesis cycle has been proposed. 

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