TY - JOUR

T1 - The Birthplace of Proto-Life

T2 - Role of Secondary Minerals in Forming Metallo-Proteins through Water-Rock Interaction of Hadean Rocks

AU - Yoshiya, Kazumi

AU - Sato, Tomohiko

AU - Omori, Soichi

AU - Maruyama, Shigenori

PY - 2018/12

Y1 - 2018/12

N2 - The surface of Hadean Earth was mainly covered with three types of rocks—komatiite, KREEP basalt and anorthosite—which were remarkably different from those on the modern Earth. The water-rock interaction between these rocks and water provided a highly reducing environment and formed secondary minerals on the surface of the rocks that are important for producing metallo-enzymes for the emergence of primordial life. Previous studies suggested a correlation between the active site of metallo-enzymes and sulfide minerals based on the affinity of their structures, but they did not discuss the origin of metallic elements contained in these minerals which is critical to understanding where life began. We investigated secondary minerals formed through water-rock interactions of komatiite in a subaerial geyser system, then discussed the relationship between the active site of metallo-enzymes and secondary minerals. Instead of komatiite, we used serpentinite collected from the Hakuba Happo area, Nagano Prefecture in central-north Japan, which is thought to be a modern analog for the Hadean environment. We found several minor minerals, such as magnetite, chromite, pyrite and pentlandite in addition to serpentine minerals. Pentlandite has not been mentioned in previous studies as one of the candidates that could supply important metallic elements to build metallo-enzymes. It has been shown to be a catalyst for hydrogen generation possibly, because of structural similarity to the active site of hydrogenases. We consider the possibility that nickel-iron sulfide, pentlandite, could be important minerals for the origin of life. In addition, we estimated what kinds of minor minerals would be obtained from the water-rock interaction of these rocks using thermodynamic calculations. KREEP basalt contains a large amount of iron and it could be useful for producing metallo-enzymes, especially ferredoxins—electron transfer enzymes, which may have assisted in the emergence of life.

AB - The surface of Hadean Earth was mainly covered with three types of rocks—komatiite, KREEP basalt and anorthosite—which were remarkably different from those on the modern Earth. The water-rock interaction between these rocks and water provided a highly reducing environment and formed secondary minerals on the surface of the rocks that are important for producing metallo-enzymes for the emergence of primordial life. Previous studies suggested a correlation between the active site of metallo-enzymes and sulfide minerals based on the affinity of their structures, but they did not discuss the origin of metallic elements contained in these minerals which is critical to understanding where life began. We investigated secondary minerals formed through water-rock interactions of komatiite in a subaerial geyser system, then discussed the relationship between the active site of metallo-enzymes and secondary minerals. Instead of komatiite, we used serpentinite collected from the Hakuba Happo area, Nagano Prefecture in central-north Japan, which is thought to be a modern analog for the Hadean environment. We found several minor minerals, such as magnetite, chromite, pyrite and pentlandite in addition to serpentine minerals. Pentlandite has not been mentioned in previous studies as one of the candidates that could supply important metallic elements to build metallo-enzymes. It has been shown to be a catalyst for hydrogen generation possibly, because of structural similarity to the active site of hydrogenases. We consider the possibility that nickel-iron sulfide, pentlandite, could be important minerals for the origin of life. In addition, we estimated what kinds of minor minerals would be obtained from the water-rock interaction of these rocks using thermodynamic calculations. KREEP basalt contains a large amount of iron and it could be useful for producing metallo-enzymes, especially ferredoxins—electron transfer enzymes, which may have assisted in the emergence of life.

KW - Birthplace of life

KW - KREEP basalt

KW - Metal sulfide

KW - Metallo-enzymes

KW - Serpentinite

KW - Metalloproteins/chemistry

KW - Japan

KW - Origin of Life

KW - Water/chemistry

KW - Evolution, Planetary

KW - Earth (Planet)

KW - Geologic Sediments/chemistry

KW - Minerals/chemistry

KW - ACETYL-COA SYNTHASE

KW - JACK-HILLS

KW - ACTIVE-SITE

KW - CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE

KW - ISOTOPE SYSTEMATICS

KW - CONTINENTAL-CRUST

KW - Serpentinitc

KW - ORIGIN

KW - EVOLUTION

KW - CARBON-MONOXIDE

KW - GEOCHEMISTRY

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064480562&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s11084-019-09571-y

DO - 10.1007/s11084-019-09571-y

M3 - Article

C2 - 30945039

AN - SCOPUS:85064480562

VL - 48

SP - 373

EP - 393

JO - Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres

JF - Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres

SN - 0169-6149

IS - 4

ER -