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Origin of Living Systems

Oparin-Haldane Hypothesis: If the primitive atmosphere was reducing & if there
was a sufficient supply of energy available in the past, then single molecules were
able to self-replicate, leading to the origin of primitive life.
1) In Earths primitive atmosphere, molecules formed were very small.
Formaldehyde & hydrogen cyanide are carbon-containing inorganic molecules
that were required to form larger organic molecules.
2) Small molecules reacted with each other to form sugars, amino acids, and
nitrogenous bases-all which are essential for mitosis & meiosis.
3) Small molecules came together to form larger biomolecules-nucleic acids &
proteins.
4) After the accumulation of biomolecules, a single molecule acquired the ability
to self-replicate, leading to the first simple cell-like structures on Earth. For
the formation of complex organic molecules, organic molecules must have
been heated. Earths primitive atmosphere contained large amounts of
thermal energy along with other potential chemical energy that was required
to form bonds in organic compounds.

Reduction by Carbon: Carbon atoms can be

formed in many ways. They can form 4 bonds with other molecules and also form
the framework for organic substances. However, reduction of CO2 by H2 is essential
because it produces formaldehyde and formaldehyde is required to form organic
compounds.
Miller spark discharge experiment: Miller
placed water, methane, ammonia, & hydrogen
in a small glass flask connected to a larger flask
half-full with water. The water was heated to
evaporate & formed into water vapour, which
made its way to the larger flask. Millers
experiment simulated lightening through
electrical sparks between electrodes. The
simulated atmosphere was cooled down, & the
condensed water vapour made its way to a trap
at the bottom of an apparatus.
A deep red solution was collected & it contained
amounts of hydrogen cyanide & Formaldehyde.
Hydrogen cyanide & Formaldehyde were both

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essential carbon-containing molecules that were required to form sugars,
amino acids, & nitrogenous bases.
This would have resulted in the formation of organic preliminary molecules.

Conclusion: Therefore, small organic molecules capable of becoming simple cell like
structures were formed in the earths atmosphere and hydrothermal vents. Millers
experiment produced 11 out of 20 amino acids required for simple cell-like
structures to develop. Therefore, amino acids could have also formed in the early
conditions of the Earth. Millers experiments also resulted with the formation of
monosaccharides, sugars required to link with amino acids & proteins, were
produced eventually leading to complex organic molecules capable of selfreplication. Furthermore in Millers experiments purines A & G synthesized from the
reactions of hydrogen cyanide, supporting the hypothesis that nucleotides did form,
eventually leading to complex organic molecules capable of self-replication.
Scientific Question: Although Millers experiment was based on the belief that the
Earths primitive atmosphere was reducing, was the Earths primitive atmosphere
actually reducing? Volcanic gases that created the Earths early atmosphere were
rich in oxidized gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen, & nitrogen gases. The
reaction of water with oxidized gases does not produce hydrogen cyanide or
formaldehyde, which are the basic building blocks of complex organic molecules.
Although Millers experiment shows that hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde can
form in a reduced atmosphere, the earths primitive atmosphere is known to be
oxidized. Therefore it is not likely that these chemicals were produced in a reducing
environment.

Revision of Hypothesis: If the primitive atmosphere was oxidizing & if there was a
sufficient supply of energy available in the past, then single molecules were able to
self-replicate in hydrothermal vents, leading to the origin of complex organic
molecules & simple cell-like structures.