Figure 3: Schematic of the protocell’s metabolic cycle. The first experimental evidence is by DeClue,
Bailey and Boncella at the Los Alamos National
Laboratory, May 2006. This system supports the feasibility of the protocell design as it demonstrates how in principle an
informational molecule may regulate the metabolic production of container
components, establishing the desired catalytic connection between the genes,
the metabolism, and the container. The process starts with the absorption of a
photon that causes a charge separation within the Ru-bpy sensitizer molecule. As the gene molecule (in this initial case realized only
by the 8-oxo-guanine base) donates an electron the sensitizer center is
neutralized and the energy rich electron can be utilized for the cleavage of a picolinium ester (resource molecule) to form fatty acid and
waste. Finally, the “ground state” gene has to be regenerated by a hydrogen
source (perhaps water). (Picture courtesy Michael DeClue,
James Bailey and James Boncella, LANL). |
