Thermodynamic and electrocatalitic aspects in free energy transfer models for the emergency of life on early earth

Abstract

Despite its complexity, the living systems present, in numerous processes for their maintenance, certain kinetic and thermodynamic specificities. In these, the natural chemosmotic and electrochemical gradients as driving forces is coupled to various metabolic pathways by enzymatic systems. Considering this universal characteristic of known life, it was developed in the last 30 years one of the best-known theories about the origin of life on Earth, which now relates to alkaline hydrothermal vents. This theory stands that the structure for such a mechanism has an analogous in certain kinds of geological systems in the early earth, the alkaline hydrothermal vents, where the electrochemical driving force associates to inorganic catalysts, forming a suitable system to the coupling necessary for the emergence of life. However, it still requires experimental details about such coupling in the prebiotic scenario. We propose, therefore, the study of the electrocatalysis of CO reduction reaction with these catalysts, according to the transduction models based on the initial stage of the acetyl-CoA synthesis pathway. Minerals with morphological similarity to active sites of enzymes in the path mentioned will be used. Thus, we sought to evaluate the catalytic specificity of these minerals and the effects of the conditions on the overpotential required for the reduction. We suggest, in addition and according to the results of studies electrocatalysis, perform flow simulations and calculations discussed geological systems on the stability of the gradients formed in radioactive environments, considered promising to the origin of life. Thus, it is planned to emphasize the electrocatalytic processes of interconversion between chemical and electrical energies in the emergence of life, contributing with the thematic project to which this work associates. (AU)