A group of scientists led by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discovered the crucial role of iron sulfides in the origin of life within early Earth's terrestrial hot springs, according to a recent article published in Nature Communications.
The life origin hypothesis suggests that hydrothermal systems, including deep-sea vents and terrestrial hot springs, could have provided the necessary conditions for life to emerge. Iron sulfides, abundant in these early environments, may have functioned similarly to modern metabolic cofactors by transforming carbon dioxide into organic compounds, facilitating essential prebiotic chemical reactions.
While previous studies primarily focused on deep-sea alkaline hydrothermal vents, this new research highlights terrestrial hot springs as another plausible setting for life's origins, given their rich mineral content, diverse chemicals, and abundant sunlight.
To explore the role of iron sulfides in prebiotic carbon fixation, the research team conducted simulated experiments replicating early terrestrial hot spring conditions, including temperatures of 80 to 120 degrees Celsius, enhanced ultraviolet light irradiation, and abundant carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and iron sulfides.
The results indicated that iron sulfides acted as catalysts to promote the transformation of carbon dioxide into methanol. This methanol could further catalyze the formation of the methyl group, essential for one of the oldest metabolic pathways, thereby laying the foundation for the origin of life.
\"This research highlights the potential of iron sulfides in catalyzing prebiotic carbon fixation in early Earth's terrestrial hot springs, opening new directions for exploring life's origins and supporting future efforts in the search for extraterrestrial life,\" said Nan Jingbo, associate professor at Nanjing Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Reference(s):
Scientists reveal potential role of iron sulfides in life origin
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