Boreskov

ABIOGENIC SELF‐ASSEMBLAGE OF THE SIMPLEST ELEMENTS OF LIVINGMATTER IN THE FRAMES OF HYDRATE AND QUATARON HYPOTHESESOF THE ORIGIN OF LIFEAskhabov A.M. 1 , Kadyshevich E.A. 2 , Ostrovsky V.E. 31 Institute of Geology, Komi Science Centre, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences,Syktyvkar, Russia2 Institute of Physicists of Atmosphere, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia3 Karpov Physicochemical Institute, Moscow, RussiaPP‐1The problem of the origin of life on the Earth finally comes to the problem of abiogenicassemblage of the simplest elements of living matter – DNA and RNA molecules. Becauseprobability of their casual self‐assemblage is negligibly small, there is necessity of search ofcorresponding mechanisms of synthesis and concentration of biomolecules. Unfortunately,not any of great number of hypotheses of the origin of life put forward till now is capable toexplain processes of abiogenic assemblage of complex molecules. Moreover, the majority ofhypotheses try to disregard or ignore this central problem.Two new hypotheses of the origin of life suggested recently open ways for solution ofthe considered problem. We mean the so‐called hydrate [1] and quataron [2] hypotheses ofthe origin of the simplest elements of living matter.According to the hydrate hypothesis the simplest elements of living matter ‐ N‐bases,riboses, DNA‐ and RNA‐like molecules, as well as protocells arise from СН 4 , nitrates andphosphates inside cellular structures of hydrate of methane. This hypothesis suggests themechanism, by which nature could go to simultaneously create, in the closed volume,conditions for occurrence of great number of various DNA and RNA‐like molecules.The quataron hypothesis proceeds from the fact that places of accumulation andconservation of biogenic elements and subsequent assemblage of elements of living matterare special nano‐clusters formed in super‐saturated medium (clusters of "hidden" phase orquatarons). The most probable quataron‐forming molecules in atmosphere are СН 4 and Н 2 Оmolecules. For some reasons in the initial variant of the quataron hypothesis the preferencewas given to water molecules. Probably, quatarons of water are capable to form fullerenelikestructures with large enough internal cavities which radius makes from 0,3 to 0,6nanometers depending on vapour super‐saturation. In particular, for quatarons of (Н 2 О) 20or (Н 2 О) 24 , forming, in condensed condition, liquid water with density about 1 g/sm 3 theradius of the internal cavity is equal to 0,384 nanometers. In these cavities not only separate131