Conjugation of Proteinoid Microspheres: A Model of Primordial Recombination

Abstract

A recent publication (1) showed the formation of specialized junctional structures following contact between proteinoid microspheres (Fig. 1). Small packets of proteinoid materials, called endoparticles, are formed within the microspheres either spontaneously or by appropriate treatment of the solutions. The endoparticles have been shown to pass through junctions connecting microspheres (Fig. 2). Experiments described be­low show the ability of endoparticles to meet across junctions and fuse through the communicative portals. The “recombinant” endoparticles are able to behave as condensation nuclei around which new proteinoid materials are deposited to form normal sized microspheres.