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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 14: Poster Session II
BP 14.19: Poster
Dienstag, 10. März 2026, 18:00–21:00, P2
Controlling transport for RNA enrichment in alkaline hydrothermal vents at the emergence of life — •Mona B. Michelsen1, Almuth Schmid2, Dieter Braun2, and Karen Alim1 — 1Theory of Biological Networks, School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany — 2Systems Biophysics, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Germany
Reactive mineral surfaces within alkaline hydrothermal vents (AHVs) at the prebiotic ocean floor are compelling candidates for mediating the accumulation and stabilization of early biomolecules such as RNA. The intricate hierarchical architecture of AHVs, featuring central conduits branching into finely ramified networks, creates dynamic microenvironments that may promote selective adsorption of RNA onto mineral surfaces and enhance local concentrations through flow-driven accumulation. These mineral-RNA interactions could have influenced both the persistence and the catalytic potential of primitive RNA species, potentially facilitating steps toward replication and evolution.
In this project, we apply microfluidics to construct quasi-2D analogues of hydrothermal vents in the laboratory, enabling direct observation of mineral precipitation, flow patterns, and RNA transport under controlled chemical and physical conditions. This approach allows us to investigate how mineral surfaces and flow dynamics influence RNA accumulation and the potential for mineral-assisted RNA catalysis and replication in prebiotic environments.
Keywords: Emergence of life; Alkaline vents; Flow networks; RNA