3:50 PM - 4:10 PM
[MIS08-07] Nanoscale Chemistry in Hydrothermal Vents: Unlocking Clues to Life’s Beginnings
★Invited Papers
Living organisms are composed of intricate assemblies of organized nanostructures, whose complexity and functionality arise from nanoscale interactions. Understanding the principles governing the formation of these structures is crucial for unraveling the origin of life. In this presentation, I will discuss our nanoscientific investigation into life’s origins, focusing on deep-sea hydrothermal vents (HVs) as a natural setting where geochemical processes may have transitioned into biochemical systems.
I will begin by introducing the intriguing nanoscale phenomena observed in HVs. Through detailed material analyses of alkaline HVs, we have identified aligned nanopores within mineral precipitates. These nanopores facilitate selective ion transport and enable chemiosmotic energy conversion, similar to fundamental cellular functions. The spontaneous emergence of such intricate structures and functions within simple geological settings suggests that cumulative physical and chemical processes may have driven the evolution of cellular mechanisms, offering insights into the origins of biological complexity.
Next, I will discuss nanoconfined water within HV nanopores and its implications for the origin of life. In HVs, spatially confined water exhibits ice-like ordering and distinct physicochemical properties that set it apart from bulk water. Biopolymerization, such as peptide formation, is essential for life but challenging in water-rich environments due to its intrinsic dehydration nature. While deep-sea HVs were once considered unsuitable for life’s emergence, their nanopores may instead provide conditions that facilitate polymerization. I will explore how these unique properties of nanoconfined water could have contributed to early biochemical processes.
These findings illustrate how nanoscale structures and confined environments within HVs may have played a crucial role in facilitating key prebiotic processes. By uncovering the physical and chemical foundations of life’s origins, our research not only enhances our understanding of early life formation but also contributes to the search for life beyond Earth.
I will begin by introducing the intriguing nanoscale phenomena observed in HVs. Through detailed material analyses of alkaline HVs, we have identified aligned nanopores within mineral precipitates. These nanopores facilitate selective ion transport and enable chemiosmotic energy conversion, similar to fundamental cellular functions. The spontaneous emergence of such intricate structures and functions within simple geological settings suggests that cumulative physical and chemical processes may have driven the evolution of cellular mechanisms, offering insights into the origins of biological complexity.
Next, I will discuss nanoconfined water within HV nanopores and its implications for the origin of life. In HVs, spatially confined water exhibits ice-like ordering and distinct physicochemical properties that set it apart from bulk water. Biopolymerization, such as peptide formation, is essential for life but challenging in water-rich environments due to its intrinsic dehydration nature. While deep-sea HVs were once considered unsuitable for life’s emergence, their nanopores may instead provide conditions that facilitate polymerization. I will explore how these unique properties of nanoconfined water could have contributed to early biochemical processes.
These findings illustrate how nanoscale structures and confined environments within HVs may have played a crucial role in facilitating key prebiotic processes. By uncovering the physical and chemical foundations of life’s origins, our research not only enhances our understanding of early life formation but also contributes to the search for life beyond Earth.