Summary
Phospholipid vesicles (liposomes) were subjected to dehydration-hydration cycles in the presence of 6-carboxyfluorescein or salmon sperm DNA. We found that the vesicles fused into multilamellar structures during dehydration with solutes trapped between the lamellae. Upon rehydration the lamellae swelled and formed large vesicular structures containing solute. This model can be used to study encapsulation of macromolecules by lipid membranes to form protocellular structures under prebiotic conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Eichberg J, Sherwood E, Epps DE, Oro J (1977) Cyanamide mediated syntheses under plausible primitive earth conditions. IV. The synthesis of acylglycerols. J Mol Evol 10:221–230
Epps DE, Nooner DW, Eichberg J, Sherwood E, Oro J (1979) Cyanamide mediated syntheses under plausible prebiotic earth conditions VI. The synthesis of glycerol and glycerophosphate. J Mol Evol 14:235–241
Fox S, Dose K (1977) Molecular evolution and the origin of life. Marcel Dekker Inc., New York
Fox S, Harada K (1958) Thermal copolymerization of amino acids to a product resembling protein. Science 128:1214
Hargreaves WR, Deamer DW (1978) Liposomes from ionic, single-chain amphiphiles. Biochemistry 17:3759–3768
Hargreaves WR, Mulvihill S, Deamer DW (1977) Synthesis of phospholipids and membranes in prebiotic conditions. Nature 266:355–357
Rao M, Eichberg J, Oro J (1982) Synthesis of phosphatidylcholine under possible primitive earth conditions. J Mol Evol (in press.)
Stoeckenius W (1978) Speculations about the evolution of halobacteria and of chemiosmotic mechanisms. In: Deamer DW (ed) Light transducing membranes. Academic Press, New York
Usher DA (1977) Early chemical evolution of nucleic acids: a theoretical model. Science 196:311–313
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Deamer, D.W., Barchfeld, G.L. Encapsulation of macromolecules by lipid vesicles under simulated prebiotic conditions. J Mol Evol 18, 203–206 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01733047
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01733047