OoL digest — January 25th edition
This week, 16 articles were published on the ool in astrobiology, biochemistry, biophysics and planetary science. In astrobiology, we have papers on biosignatures (Goodwin), organic molecules in the ISM (Guelin), Raman spectroscopy on CanMars (Lalla), the impact of photochemical runaway on biosignatures (Ranjan), ocean stability on ancient Mars, the panspermia hypothesis (Sithamparam) and an in situ microbial detection system (Touchette). In biochemistry we have papers on prebiotic organocatalysts (Closs), lipid membranes and RNA interactions (Czerniak), host-parasite molecular replication networks (Kamiura), viroids (Lee) and simulations of a minimal cell (Thornburg). In biophysics, we have a paper on self-organized emergence of behavior (Fleig) and in planetary science. Finally, in planetary science we have papers on impacts on early Earth (Citron), $O_2$ increase in the Archean (Leong) and an Earth-system biogeochemical model (Cole). Enjoy!
Astrobiology
Biosignatures Associated with Organic Matter in Late Paleoproterozoic Stromatolitic Dolomite and Implications for Martian Carbonates – Goodwin et al. – Astrobiology
Organic Molecules in Insterstellar Space: Latest advances – Guelin et al. – preprint
Raman Characterization of the CanMars Rover Field Campaign Samples Using the Raman Laser Spectrometer ExoMars Simulator: Implications for Mars and Planetary Exploration – Lalla et al. – Astrobiology
Photochemical Runaway in Exoplanet Atmospheres: Implications for Biosignatures – Ranjan et al. – preprint
Circumpolar ocean stability on Mars 3 Gy ago – Schmidt et al. – PNAS
A Material-based Panspermia Hypothesis: The Potential of Polymer Gels and Membraneless Droplets – Sithamparam et al. – preprint
Microfluidics Microbial Activity MicroAssay: An Automated In Situ Microbial Metabolic Detection System – Touchette et al. – Astrobiology
Biochemistry
Dynamic Exchange of Substituents in a Prebiotic Organocatalyst: Initial Steps towards an Evolutionary System – Closs et al. – Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Lipid membranes modulate the activity of RNA through sequence-dependent interactions – Czerniak et al. – PNAS
Plausible pathway for a host–parasite molecular replication network to increase its complexity through Darwinian evolution – Kamiura et al. – preprint
Viroids and Viroid-like Circular RNAs: Do They Descend from Primordial Replicators? – Lee et al. – Life
Fundamental behaviors emerge from simulations of a living minimal cell – Thornburg et al. – Cell
Biophysics
Emergence of behaviour in a self-organized living matter network – Fleig et al. – eLife
Planetary Science
Large Impacts onto the Early Earth: Planetary Sterilization and Iron Delivery – Citron et al. – preprint
Decreasing extents of Archean serpentinization contributed to the rise of an oxidized atmosphere – Leong et al. – Nature Communications
Atmospheric Oxygen Abundance, Marine Nutrient Availability, and Organic Carbon Fluxes to the Seafloor – Cole et al. – Global Biogeochemical Cycles