Coacervation of biopolymers on muscovite surface

The first life was believed to emerge in the early Earth via a process involving synthesis of organic compounds and formation protocells. However, it is still puzzle how protocell with hierarchal structure desirable functions spontaneously generated non-living environment composed mainly water minerals. In this work, using muscovite as an example minerals, we systemically studied coacervation poly ( l -lysine) (PLL), quaternized dextran (Q-dextran), single-stranded oligonucleotide (ss-oligo) on surface at varying mixing orders. Only when Q-dextran firstly interacts form coating layer, followed by addition ss-oligo PLL, formed coacervates exhibit distinct versatile morphologies, including spherical PLL/ss-oligo droplets surface, floating above Q-dextran/ss-oligo blanket, islands surrounded sea. kinetic pathways resulting morphologies are specific each case. There results suggest that polysaccharide probably biopolymer accumulated mineral Earth. sugar provided “nest” for protein/peptide DNA/RNA from sub-compartments further develop advanced functions.