Flocculation of Fatty Acid Membranes does not Disrupt Encapsulation: Implications for the Origin of Cells in Evaporative Lake Environments

Abstract

The first cellular compartments were likely composed of fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are widely considered to have been available on the early Earth due to their presence on carbonaceous meteorites and potential abiotic synthesis via Fischer-Tropsch reactions, and they spontaneously self-assemble into membranes across a range of pH and temperature conditions. However, high concentrations of monovalent salts cause fatty acid membranes to flocculate. If flocculation causes the loss of membrane contents, it would have impeded early cell evolution.