Protocellular energetics: Free energy estimates for all metabolic, self-assembly and vesicle fission processes

TL;DR

This paper provides comprehensive quantitative estimates of free energy changes across all processes in protocell lifecycles, using new and compiled thermodynamic data, to compare with modern unicells.

Contribution

It introduces a complete thermodynamic analysis of protocell processes, combining new DFT estimates with existing data for a holistic view.

Findings

Quantitative free energy estimates for protocell metabolic processes

Thermodynamic calculations for self-assembly and vesicle fission

Comparison of protocell energetics with modern unicells

Abstract

As minimal cells or protocells are dramatically simpler than modern unicells it is possible to quantitatively estimate free energy changes for every process in the lifecycle of a protocell and compare these with estimates of the free energy changes for lifecycles in modern unicells. We present quantitative estimates of all metabolic changes in part by new density function theory (DFT) estimations, in part by compiling previously measured or estimated free energy changes, and in part by new thermodynamic calculations for all self-assembly, vesicle bending, and fission energies.