| Description |
1 online resource (269 p.) |
| Contents |
Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Introduction -- Chapter 1. The Emergence of Life-Nurturing Conditions in the Universe -- 1.1. Defining properties of life -- 1.1.1. Implications of the defining properties -- 1.2. Life-supporting conditions and environments -- 1.2.1. Chemical ingredients -- 1.2.2. Physical conditions -- 1.2.3. Habitable worlds -- 1.3. Setting the stage for chemistry and life in the Universe -- 1.3.1. Births of the laws of chemistry -- 1.3.2. Production of chemical elements -- 1.3.3. Assemblage of prebiotic molecules -- 1.3.4. Origin of water |
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1.3.5. Appearance of rocky planets -- 1.4. The habitable Universe -- 1.4.1. Circumstellar habitable zones -- 1.4.2. Galactic habitable zones -- 1.5. Planetary environments suitable for the origin of life -- 1.5.1. Abiogenesis on planetary surfaces -- 1.5.2. Abiogenesis in the oceans -- 1.5.3. Implications for the search for life outside Earth -- 1.6. The quest for inhabited worlds -- 1.7. References -- Chapter 2. Chirality and the Origins of Life -- 2.1. Introduction to chirality -- 2.2. The asymmetry of life -- 2.3. The origin of homochirality -- 2.3.1. Stochastic theories |
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2.3.2. Deterministic theories -- 2.4. Space missions and the search for life and its origins -- 2.4.1. Rosetta -- 2.4.2. ExoMars -- 2.5. References -- Chapter 3. The Role of Formamide in Prebiotic Chemistry -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Effect of minerals and self-organization in the prebiotic chemistry of formamide -- 3.2.1. Surface catalysis and geochemical scenarios -- 3.2.2. Chemomimesis, circularity and thermodynamic niches -- 3.2.3. Nucleosides phosphorylation -- 3.3. Continuity and mineral complexity -- 3.4. Energy-driven selectivity -- 3.5. References |
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Chapter 4. A Praise of Imperfection: Emergence and Evolution of Metabolism -- 4.1. From Darwin to Jacob: perfection does not exist -- 4.2. Protometabolic networks -- 4.3. Enzyme promiscuity and metabolic innovation -- 4.4. Promiscuity, moonlighting and the essence of life -- 4.5. Acknowledgments -- 4.6. References -- Chapter 5. Viruses, Viroids and the Origins of Life -- 5.1. How were viruses discovered? A brief history -- 5.2. Viral diversity -- 5.3. Viral structure and function -- 5.4. Viruses and mammalian genomes -- 5.5. Role of viruses in human evolution, health and disease |
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5.6. Viroids may be a link to ancient evolutionary pathways -- 5.7. Origin and evolution of viroids -- 5.8. Conclusion -- 5.9. References -- Chapter 6. Is the Heterotrophic Theory of the Origin of Life Still Valid? -- 6.1. Introduction -- 6.2. The roaring 20s -- 6.3. Coacervates as models of precellular structures -- 6.4. Precellular evolution and the emergence of cells -- 6.5. Final remarks: does Oparin still matter? -- 6.6. Acknowledgments -- 6.7. References -- Chapter 7. Making Biochemistry-Free (Generalized) Life in a Test Tube -- 7.1. Summary -- 7.2. Introduction and background |
| Notes |
Description based upon print version of record |
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7.3. Laboratory implementation of an artificial autonomous, and self-organized functional system |
| Form |
Electronic book
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| ISBN |
9781394264131 |
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1394264135 |
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1394264151 |
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9781394264155 |
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