The emergence of an iron-sulfur dependent protometabolism
Sheref S. Mansy
Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO)
University of Trento
38123 Povo, Italy
Biography：Sheref received his BS and PhD degrees from Ohio State University. His doctoral studies were on iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis with James A. Cowan. He then carried-out origins of life postdoctoral work focused on protocells with Jack W. Szostak at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard. After winning a career development award from the Armenise-Harvard Foundation, Sheref setup his own laboratory at the University of Trento. Here, his laboratory constructs artificial cells that can chemically communicate with natural, living cells, and he explores the potential role of iron-sulfur peptides in the emergence of metabolic-like reactions on the early Earth. Sheref is a Simons Investigator and a TED Fellow.
Abstract：Iron-sulfur clusters are among the most ancient biological cofactors and are involved in a wide variety of functions in living cells. Despite the central role that iron-sulfur clusters play in metabolism, it has remained unclear if the prebiotic chemistry that led to life was shaped by the activity of iron-sulfur catalysts. We find that model prebiotic, redox active iron-sulfur peptides form easily in a manner that is facilitated by UV light and propose a path from small iron-sulfur peptides to ferredoxin-like sequences. The data are most consistent with prebiotic surface exposed, pond or hot spring environments. Our efforts in building artificial cells from component parts will also be presented. Here, artificial cells simply refer to liposomes with encapsulated DNA and transcription-translation machinery that are able to mimic some of the features of cellular life. Since natural living systems live in communities, we built artificial cells that are capable of chemical communication and used these artificial cells to integrate with and control the behavior of bacteria. Similar artificial cells may be used to probe the chemistry that supports cellular life and may serve as a foundation for new life-like technologies.
Time: June 7th, 16:00~17:00
Venue: New Biology building, Room 143
Host: Prof. Ting Zhu
