Identifying molecules as biosignatures with assembly theory and mass spectrometry

Nature Communications, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 12(1)

Опубликована: Май 24, 2021

Abstract The search for alien life is hard because we do not know what signatures are unique to life. We show why complex molecules found in high abundance universal biosignatures and demonstrate the first intrinsic experimentally tractable measure of molecular complexity, called assembly index (MA). To this calculate complexity several million validate that their can be determined by mass spectrometry. This approach allows us identify from a set diverse samples around world, outer space, laboratory, demonstrating it possible build detection experiment based on MA could deployed extraterrestrial locations, used as scale quantify constraints needed direct prebiotically plausible processes laboratory. Such an vital finding elsewhere universe or creating de-novo lab.

Язык: Английский

---

Exploring Emergent Properties in Enzymatic Reaction Networks: Design and Control of Dynamic Functional Systems

Chemical Reviews, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 124(5), С. 2553 - 2582

Опубликована: Март 4, 2024

The intricate and complex features of enzymatic reaction networks (ERNs) play a key role in the emergence sustenance life. Constructing such vitro enables stepwise build up complexity introduces opportunity to control activity using physicochemical stimuli. Rational design modulation network motifs enable engineering artificial systems with emergent functionalities. Such functional are useful for variety reasons as creating new-to-nature dynamic materials, producing value-added chemicals, constructing metabolic modules synthetic cells, even enabling molecular computation. In this review, we offer insights into chemical characteristics ERNs while also delving their potential applications associated challenges.

Язык: Английский

---

The Future of Origin of Life Research: Bridging Decades-Old Divisions

Life, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 10(3), С. 20 - 20

Опубликована: Фев. 26, 2020

Research on the origin of life is highly heterogeneous. After a peculiar historical development, it still includes strongly opposed views which potentially hinder progress. In 1st Interdisciplinary Origin Life Meeting, early-career researchers gathered to explore commonalities between theories and approaches, critical divergence points, expectations for future. We find that even though classical approaches theories-e.g. bottom-up top-down, RNA world vs. metabolism-first-have been prevalent in research, they are ceasing be mutually exclusive can should feed integrating approaches. Here we focus pressing questions recent developments bridge disciplines highlight future endeavours research.

Язык: Английский

---

Exoplanet Biosignatures: Future Directions

Astrobiology, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 18(6), С. 779 - 824

Опубликована: Июнь 1, 2018

We introduce a Bayesian method for guiding future directions detection of life on exoplanets. describe empirical and theoretical work necessary to place constraints the relevant likelihoods, including those emerging from better understanding stellar environment, planetary climate geophysics, geochemical cycling, universalities physics chemistry, contingencies evolutionary history, properties as an emergent complex system, mechanisms driving emergence life. provide examples how formalism could guide search strategies, determining observations prioritize or deciding between targeted searches larger lower resolution surveys generate ensemble statistics address methodology constrain prior probability with without positive detection. Key Words: Exoplanets—Biosignatures—Life detection—Bayesian analysis. Astrobiology 18, 779–824. 1. Introduction 2. Setting Stage: What Is Life? Biosignature? 3. Detecting Unknown Biology Worlds: A Framework 3.1. Habitability in framework biosignatures 4. P(data|abiotic) 4.1. Stellar environment 4.2. Climate geophysics 4.2.1. Coupled tectonic–climate models 4.2.2. Community GCM projects generating P(data|life) 4.3. Geochemical 4.3.1. Anticipating unexpected: statistical approaches characterizing atmospheres non-Earth-like worlds 5. 5.1. Black-box living processes 5.1.1. Type classification Seager et al. (2013a) 5.1.1.1. Energy capture (type I) 5.1.1.2. Biomass II) 5.1.1.3. Other uses III) 5.1.1.4. Products modification gases IV) 5.1.2. Alternatives type 5.1.2.1. I, energy 5.1.2.2. II, biomass 5.1.2.3. III, "other uses" 5.1.2.4. IV 5.1.3. When is it appropriate deconstruct black box? 5.2. Life improbable chemistry 5.3. process 5.3.1. coevolution its planet: Earth example 5.3.2. Calculating conditional probabilities biological evolution past biogeochemical states 5.4. Insights universal biology 5.4.1. Network 5.4.2. Universal scaling laws, applicable other worlds? 6. P(life) 6.1. P(emerge): constraining origins 6.2. Biological innovations 7. Example: Atmospheric Oxygen 8. Tuning Search Strategies Based 9. Conclusions Acknowledgments Author Disclosure Statement References Abbreviations Used

Язык: Английский

---

Intelligence as a planetary scale process

International Journal of Astrobiology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 21(2), С. 47 - 61

Опубликована: Фев. 7, 2022

Abstract Conventionally, intelligence is seen as a property of individuals. However, it also known to be collectives. Here, we broaden the idea collective and extend planetary scale. We consider ways in which appearance technological may represent kind scale transition, thus might not something happens on planet but planet, much some models propose origin life itself was phenomenon. Our approach follows recognition among researchers that correct understand key aspects its evolution planetary, opposed more traditional focus individual species. explore concept prove useful for three distinct domains: Earth Systems Exoplanet studies; Anthropocene Sustainability study Technosignatures Search Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). argue explorations intelligence, defined acquisition application knowledge operating at integrated into function coupled systems, can framework understanding possible paths long-term inhabited planets including future trajectories predicting features intelligentially steered other worlds.

Язык: Английский

---

Gene expression networks regulated by human personality

Molecular Psychiatry, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 29(7), С. 2241 - 2260

Опубликована: Март 4, 2024

Genome-wide association studies of human personality have been carried out, but transcription the whole genome has not studied in relation to humans. We collected genome-wide expression profiles adults characterize regulation and function genes related personality. devised an innovative multi-omic approach network analysis identify key control elements interactions multi-modular networks. identified sets transcribed that were co-expressed specific brain regions with known be associated Then we minimum networks for co-localized using bioinformatic resources. Subjects 459 from Young Finns Study who completed Temperament Character Inventory provided peripheral blood genomic transcriptomic analysis. extrinsic 45 regulatory seed involved self-regulation emotional reactivity extracellular stimuli (e.g., anxiety) intrinsic 43 interpretations meaning production concepts language). discovered between two coordinated by a hub 3 miRNAs protein-coding shared both. Interactions proteins ncRNAs more than 100 overlap directly personality-related another 4000 interact indirectly. conclude six-gene is crux integrative orchestrates information-transfer throughout system over enriched liquid-liquid-phase-separation (LLPS)-related RNAs, diverse factors, hominid-specific lncRNAs. Gene regulate neuronal plasticity, epigenesis, adaptive functioning salience self-awareness.

Язык: Английский

---

Exoplanet Biosignatures: At the Dawn of a New Era of Planetary Observations

Astrobiology, Год журнала: 2018, Номер 18(6), С. 619 - 629

Опубликована: Май 9, 2018

The rapid rate of discoveries exoplanets has expanded the scope science possible for remote detection life beyond Earth. Exoplanet Biosignatures Workshop Without Walls (EBWWW) held in 2016 engaged international scientific community across diverse disciplines, to assess state and technology search on exoplanets, identify paths progress. workshop activities resulted five major review papers, which provide (1) an encyclopedic known proposed biosignatures models used ascertain them (Schwieterman et al., 2018 this issue); (2) in-depth O

Язык: Английский

---

Future climates: Markov blankets and active inference in the biosphere

Journal of The Royal Society Interface, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 17(172), С. 20200503 - 20200503

Опубликована: Ноя. 1, 2020

We formalize the Gaia hypothesis about Earth climate system using advances in theoretical biology based on minimization of variational free energy. This amounts to claim that non-equilibrium steady-state dynamics—that underwrite our climate—depend possessing a Markov blanket. Our formalization rests how metabolic rates biosphere (understood as blanket's internal states) change with respect solar radiation at Earth's surface (i.e. external states), through changes greenhouse and albedo effects active ocean-driven global temperature sensory states). Describing interaction between climatic states—in blanket—amounts describing dynamics states actively inferring states. underwrites energy thus form planetary autopoiesis.

Язык: Английский

---

Defining Lyfe in the Universe: From Three Privileged Functions to Four Pillars

Life, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 10(4), С. 42 - 42

Опубликована: Апрель 16, 2020

Motivated by the need to paint a more general picture of what life is—and could be—with respect rest phenomena universe, we propose new vocabulary for astrobiological research. Lyfe is defined as any system that fulfills all four processes living state, namely: dissipation, autocatalysis, homeostasis, and learning. Life instance lyfe are familiar with on Earth, one uses specific organometallic molecular toolbox record information about its environment achieve dynamical order dissipating certain planetary disequilibria. This classification allows community clearly define questions propel their research—e.g., whether they developing historical narrative explain origin (on Earth), or universal emergence lyfe, seeking signs specifically, at large across universe. While concept “life don’t know it” not new, pillars offer novel perspective state indifferent particular components might produce it.

Язык: Английский

---

Spontaneous formation of autocatalytic sets with self-replicating inorganic metal oxide clusters

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 117(20), С. 10699 - 10705

Опубликована: Май 5, 2020

Here we show how a simple inorganic salt can spontaneously form autocatalytic sets of replicating molecules that work via molecular recognition based on the {PMo 12 } ≡ [PMo O 40 ] 3– Keggin ion, and {Mo 36 [H 3 Mo 57 M 6 (NO) 183 (H 2 O) 18 22– cluster. These small clusters are able to catalyze their own formation an network, which subsequently template assembly gigantic molybdenum-blue wheel 154 [Mo 462 H 14 70 14– , 132 VI 72 V 60 372 (CH COO) 30 42– ball-shaped species containing molybdenum atoms, }⊂{Mo 124 Ce 4 16 100 24 376 56 (PMo 10 )(C N S ) 5– nanostructure. Kinetic investigations revealed key traits systems including kinetic saturation. A stochastic model confirms presence network involving processes, where larger only products stabilized by cycle, isolated due critical transition in network.

Язык: Английский

---