Simulation of organismic morphology and behavior by synthetic poly-amino acid

Fox, S. W.

Joseph, D.

Mc Cauley, R.

Windsor, C. R. W.

Yuyama, S.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

SIMULATION OF ORGANISMIC MORPHOLOGY AND 
BEHAVIOR BY SYNTHETIC P0LY-u-AMMO ACIDS* 
SIDNEY W. Fox, ROBERT MCCAULEY, DAVID JOSEPH, 
CHARLES RAY WINDSOR, AND SHUHEI YUYAMA 
Institute of Molecular Evolution, 
Coral Gablcs, Florida, C.S.A. 
lnstitutc for Space Biosciences, 
Tdlahassce, Florida. U.S.A. 
Clnitwrsity oj Miami. and FIorida Statc University, 
AIMWBC~ : Experiments imitating spontaneous geothermal occurrences have yielded moat 
of  thr amino acids fwnd in protein. All of the amino acids found in protein are 
simultaneously condensed, by heating in a range of appropriate conditions, to 
polymers which have many of the propcrties of proteins. These properties include 
molecular weights of many thousand, digestibility by proteolytic eozymca, and 
ratalytic activities. One of the other properties is the tendency to form structured 
units; these units have many of the attributes of biocells. The processes indicated, 
and others. comprise a conreptual rontinuum which, a c m r d i n ~  to ercumulatrd 
information. must havr orcurred under the conditions existing in regions of the 
primitive Earth. 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19660028604 2020-03-16T17:29:13+00:00Z
Experiments performed in terrestrial laboratories have indicated how com- 
plex macromolecules of an organismic type and protocells of complex struc- 
ture might have arisen spontaneously on the Earth in simple processes." 
The mechanistic premise alone demands that life must have arisen spon- 
taneously from inanimate systems.' Experiments made possible by this prem- 
ise have specified a range of conditions. mainly thermal, in which such 
molecules and systems might originate.' The emergence in such acellular 
experiments of polymers which respona positively to almost all general tests 
for protein and, on the other hand. of polymers which test like polynucleo- 
tides, has broadened the interpretation of the results o f  tests which may in 
the future be perfornied on material on or  from Mars.' 
(The origin of net optical activity. repartfed by some as unique to life, 
rould hav arisen also acyllularl). Suc,h possibilities have heen illustrated 
by experiments-see Fox. JohiisOii arid Vegto4.y. Wald,' Illhricht.' Harada," 
and the bibliography to referenre 6. I 
The geophysical possibilities for the riecrssary reaction conditions are 
documented,' and new data have recently been added t o  the literature." The 
question of whether these terrestrial conditions exist or existed on Mars 
deserves rigorous investigation in the same mode as the question o f  whether 
Mars is an ahode of life. Some generalizations may be considrred tentatively, 
however. 
One concept stems from t)ac~k-rxtrapc,lat i o n  of the 1)arwiniaii eniphasis 
on the hereditary constitution of an organism as c,oritrasted to its c.oritrol by 
the environment. Rark-extrai)olatiori of the Ihrwinian evaluation to the 
molecular reactions precdinp  life would supgcst for t t i t m  iriternai self- 
limitations. Extensive stud) o f  variatioiis o f  reactions modelinp prebiological 
synthesis yields an evaluation that the) were irideetl iriexoralile ant1 determi- 
nant.!l. 1 4 1  In this view. the inexorable reai+ioiis would oc'cur as changing 
geological, or  changing Martian. c.oiiditioris happt.iied to fall into the appro- 
priate range, such as has herri idt-ntificd in the lahoi-atory. While man) of 
such sets of conditions have been widespread throughout the histor) o f  the 
Earth, evidence related to thcir frrquenc*y o n  Mars o r  other t.stratrrrestrial 
bodies has yet to be acrumiilatr(1. 
The stability of polymers and  o f  organized niic.railbartic,les uridczr (jr! o r  
almost dry conditions is now knob 11 to  he suc.ti that. oIi('r formed. iricirtinitely 
long surkval  of such units on the surfare i t f  Mars can he visualized. 
More than two dozen tests o r  combinatioris of tests for Iirotein are  positive 
for the +oly-a-aminci acids. proteiiioids. w hirh result from heating 18 ini- 
tially dry proteinogenous n-amino acids i n  mistures ccmtaiiiiiii sufficient 
aspartic acid and glutamic, acid.'. ' Most o f  thr 18 amino acids arr 1iriiic.i- 
S I M I ~ L A T I O N  HY S Y h T H E T l C  POLY-a-AMINO ACIDS 113 
pal products when It1etl1aiir. arnrncmia, and water are subjected to volcanic 
temprratures.“ No other amino acids result. Thermal oligonucleotides pro- 
duced in polyphosphoric acid a re  split by ribonuclease and by venom phos- 
phdit-sterase.’;. + 
Onr of the more recently described properties of the thermal poly-a-amino 
acids is their tendency to produce carbon dioxide from glucose.” 
The morphological ptltentialities are illustrated by the fact that synthetic 
rnic~rcyarticles reseriit~lr the organized elements reported as occurring in the 
carbonaceous chondrites I Figs. 1-3.1. The particles found in carbonaceous 
chondrites are eithrr trrrrstrial cwntarninants or  they are  indigenous to the 
rnetecirites. In either mcide. thy)  are a product o f  a natural process of one 
kind $ 1 ~  the ctthrr. ‘Their strurturr is imitated by the synthetic microparticles. 
Thr  riec.rhhar! ( - ‘ d i t  i o n s  t n f  temperature range and moisture content re- 
quired by the lahtirat‘lr! i.aprrimt-nts are  found in the chondrites.” If such 
conditions have existed on  Mars, a similar development of molecules, macro- 
rnolrcdes, and rnorphologic~a~ units may be anticipated. The finding of the 
latter structures in telemetered scans of Mars, or the finding of division of 
such units. for example. would thus not signify the presence on Mars c.f a 
terrestrial type of cellular life. 
In Fig. 4, several phenomena are visible in a photomicrograph taken in 
l‘M2. The picture shows three phenomena in particular. One is a selective 
diffusiqin ( a t .  L’ridf-r the influence of raised pH the polymer within the 
unit ih diffusing outkiirii through a houndary having a similar amino acid 
composition. ,+cwndl!. some of the microspheres are cleaving, in a septate 
fashion I h I .  Thirdl!, a pherionienon suggesting growth is seen ( c  1 .  In  this 
interpretaticm, a sirnplr shift in depth of focus should be cansidered as an 
explanat ion. 
. .  
Figurr 1. “l-ifr-iike*’ micr~~prrtirlr from Orauril mrtroritr. left. Mirropanirir ui ikiciiii&: 
prctteinoid froni thr ldtt~~ratctrv, right.  I Fig. 8 in rrf. 1.1 
. .  
Figure 2. “Life-like” microparticle from Orgueil meteorite, kif. Mirroparticle of 
thermal proteinoid from the laboratory, right. (F ig .  9 in ref. 1.) 
Figure 3. “Life-like” foriii from Orgueil meteorite undergoing what has been deecribed 
as cell division, f e f f .  Synthetic microparticle from thr laboratory, ri8hf .  followirig simple 
inrrrase in pH. (Fig.  10 in ref. 1. t 
The difference, o r  similarity, of compositions of the material within the 
microsphere and in the boundary are seen in Table 1. In  Fig. 5 a final 
separation of daughter fragments of a proteinoid particle which has under- 
gone division in the presence of magnesium chloride is seen. Whether 
growth, o r  a false simulation of it. was seen in the time-lapse sequence pro- 
jected earlier, that kind of enlargement could be mistaken for gr;wth. In  
Fig. 6, growth of a “bud” is however clearly evident. Many similar increases 
have been seen in the laboratory. 
In Fig. 7, photographic evidence of a simulation of motility is presented. 
Sufficient requirements for such behavior are  a suspension of an arymmetric 
zinc-containing proteinoid microparticle and the addition of ATP to the 
suspension. The asymmetric particle can be seen to move in fields in which 
the uniform particles are otherwise quiescent except for limited motion 
S;IML.L.1TlOh HY 5YKTHET.K POLY-a-AMINO ACIDS 115 
Composition oi Boundaries and of Whole Microspheres 
(.on\position of Polymer 
. \ i 1 i i r iu  k i d  in Microsphere in 1k)uniiary 
2.19  
0.65 
4 . 9  
0.83 
6757 
-- 
1330 
0.22 
1.10 
2.Yi 
1.36 
0.84 
0.37 
0.38 
0.45 
0.86 
0.98 
1.08  
1.48 
0.73 
6.38 
1.18 
72.97 
- 
- 
9.64 
0.23 
1 .Mi 
2.00 
0.99 
0.55 
0.17 
0.23 
0.22 
0.M 
0.80 
0.80 
which has a Hrt,Hiiiiiri appearance. In  Fig. 8 
rotation o f  ccmlents H ithiii a hountfar), after an increase o f  pH. is seen. 
In summary. this paper has preFented reference to  the fact that polv-a- 
m h w  arids or pol! nucleotitlrs produced under planetarily plausible condi- 
tions can give man! positive tests for natural polymers such as proteins or  
})olvilu~leotides. ThiA paper has presented also photomicmpraphs showirig 
how thr  size, shape. nwrphology. selective diffusion. growth, division, motil- 
i ty .  and iiiternal ctreaniinp o f  synthetic micropartides might similarly yield 
test results which might otherwise be taken as signs of life. No nucleic acids 
are present. Orilv ttir srlf-c,rgariizing properties of thermal poly-a-amino 
acids'; arcwunt for t h e e  phenomena. Such developments are consistrnt with 
i i  Fciirial i,i<<!ikti:;:: :::A!!? .h: (.&irp Walt1 iti 1954"' that the origin of the 
c r l l  could e\eiituall) Lw unr1erst'~od ah due to the internal properties of the 
material o f  uhivh i t  was ( <lm}JOWed. 
T h e  particle also rotates. 
116 s. w. FOX ET AL. ' I  
Figure 4. Frainrs froiii a tirne.lapse sequencr showiny srptatr dirision of protcinoid 
nlirrospherea. Frcrnic- n precedes frame n t 1 by 30 seconds. The suspension uf proteinoid 
tnivrop.irtic.lrs is not uniform in dianirtw sinrr the siilutiun wab boiled 10 min imtead 
of thr usual 10 src. Mcllwain Ijiiffrr o f  pH 6 has twtm addtd.  I F'r1,iti F;,x ani1 Yi i )arnu. l s )  
* -  
SIMULATlO> HI 
! 
I 
SYNTHETIC POLY-n-AMINO ACIDS 117 
F'igurr 5 .  Final wparatitm t d  ddugh1t.r fragments of yrutriooid microparticle eubjerted 
t t t  r a i d  pH. 
Inc~idental l~,  thr  cliHicdt! o f  defining life'. I '  I!' is more vividry understood 
on the basis that varifjus attrihutrs of life might he successively introdured 
into a simple lifeleh.; I\stenl. aa the nit&l suggests. 
ield phe- 
rioniena which r a n  ala, ,  *iiiiulatr behavior otherwise assoriatrd Nith vital 
procr-sse3. These apparentl\ ccmiplrx units and processes w r u r  in simple 
k a j s .  as i n  natural  t.xperimwt>. The products are, in the large sense of 
the word. artifacts. 'rhough produced by human hands. the mode of pro- 
duction is imputahie i t )  if#< ;F::!!*giml locale.' As Philip Morrison'" has also 
emphasized. lifr muIt h a w  ari3e11 f r o m  some kind of a r i i h .  s!mcst rer- 
taiiih in thr mil.rl,ri ran;rr ( i f  size. \!orrison also emphasize that the "ele- 
Other invrstipatioils in tbur labc,ratur), r i o t  presented here. 
a Q I ~  
ments" found in meteorites may lw natural i i o i i \ .  ita1 rxl)t*rilnrnts. 111 the 
context of the sear1.h for extratrrreslrial life. the illustrativt. results presriited 
here demonstrate that some telenietered data H t1ic.h might resrmblr. living 
particles in many ways, cannot he interprrted as sure signs of life. 
Heferencea 
SYNTHETIC- POLY-U-AMINO ACIDS 119 
m r d  
u .‘a* 
I 
L. -- . . I. 
Figure 7 .  Sitnulati(sn o f  niotilit> I + \  dit a%! nlmvtric protrinoid niic~c~particlr which m o w s  
n~inrancicnmly in firldi anti frlm field IO iivlcl. 
120 
START 2 SECONDS 4 SECONW 
6 SECO- 0 SECONDS IO SECONDS 
Figure  8. Rotation of interior with a boundary of  prutriniiid. T h e  pH has  been increased 
from that  of t he  original suepcnsicin. T h e  original mit.rrisphrres have been aged for 
many days at approrimatr ly  pH 3. T h r  arrow in each franlr  i nd ica tw  the major  axis. 
10. ~~ 
11. K. Harada  and  S. W. Falx, Thr  Orig ins  u /  PrrbioloKicirl S , ~ f r r r i . s .  S. R’. FOX. t d . .  
New York, Academic I’rt-, 1W15, pp. 187-201. 
12. A. Schwartz  a n d  S. W. F<ix. Biocherrr. B r o p h p .  .4( f i i .  87, f)‘+&-fi‘Mi 1 19C14I. 
13. 
Fox, ed.. New York, Acadt,riiit, l’rrss. 1965. pp. 317.320. 
14. S. W. Fox a n d  G. KranipitL. Nnturr.  203, 1362-13(14 I I W A ,  
14. B. Mason. Meteorites. N r w  l’iirk, Wilry 8 Sunk. I‘M12 
15. S. W. Fox and  S. Yuyania. Conrp. Biorhrrrr. I’h) v i t i l . .  I I .  317-.K21 ( 1 W ) l l .  
16. C.. Wald, Sci. Ariier., 191 I 2 I ,  51-53 
17. N. W. Pine ,  Prrspectiur.5 r r r  Hroc hrrrrisrr). ( ~ a i n l i r t d g , ~  l i t i i r .  I ’ I ~ - ,  19.37. 
18. M. Calvin, .4mer.  I n s t .  Hiol.  5 ,  i H i i l l .  121 101,  20.I-t I ]‘Hi21 
19. J. Keosian, The Origin o /  l ,r/r, N1.w l’ i irk, Hrinha,l,l I’uli ( ~ D I I I . .  l‘h1.1. 
20. P. Morriwln. Sc-irnc r. 135. 6f)J-bfA I 1%2 1 .  
a n d  S. Yuyania. . 4nn .  N . Y .  Aruil .  .St I . .  108, 4.8;-494 1 I W J ~ J .  
~ -, E. Bradley and  5 .  W. Fox. Thr  Orrgins 0 1  I’rrhiO/Ogjf(I/ Sl.\Irnls. 3. W. 
19541. 


Simulation of organismic morphology and behavior by synthetic poly-alpha-amino acids

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