2022 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
pH Gradient Dependent Geo-Electrochemical Origin of Life on Aqua Planets in the Universe
| Project/Area Number |
22K18278
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| Research Institution | Tokyo Institute of Technology |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
中村 龍平 東京工業大学, 地球生命研究所, 教授 (10447419)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2022-06-30 – 2025-03-31
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| Keywords | reduction potential / catalysis / electron transfer / origin of life / aquaplanet |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Life requires energy and nutrients. Unless we understand how nutrients were formed and made available to metabolism, and how energy was first delivered, we cannot understand life today, nor at the origin of life. In our proposal, we address the challenge of understanding where nutrient and energy may have came from for the origin of life. We focus on hydrothermal vents, which may be present on many wet and rocky planets in the universe. We are pioneering a novel strategy of energy flow in hydrothermal vents involving electron transfer from donors at high pH, to
acceptors in lower pH. Our goal is to begin to understand energy transfer reactions which could have led to the origin of life.
In this year we effectively prepared for the research theme proposal contents. Specifically, we designed new custom glass reactors and additionally considered polymeric PDMS as a reactor substrate as well. We are challenged with keeping the system anaerobic during operation to achieve conditions resembling those of the early Earth or other planets. To operate the reactor, we are achieving anaerobic reaction conditions and utilizing various analytical conditions by varying mineral composition and electron donor-acceptor pair. Furthermore we are investigating how universal this novel mechanism of pH separation driving electron transfer reactions of energy use may be on aquaplanets in the universe.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.
Reason
In this year progress was slightly delayed by recruiting a suitable researcher and also by the birth of a baby to the PI of the research.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
There are no major changes in the management and planning of the project. In this fiscal year a new researcher will join the project and reactions will be undertaken with our newly designed reactors.
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| Causes of Carryover |
In the first fiscal year the PI had a baby and proceeded without research expenditure. Instead, the PI carefully planned researcher expenditures for the remaining duration of the grant. Specifically, a Post doctoral researcher was recruited, specialized reactors were designed, and a collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory was started. In the current fiscal year we are ready to proceed with great speed and vigor.
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