ORIGIN OF LIFE

Evolution of a cell

Ass. prof. Nikolina Elez-Burnjaković

 • Big bang theory - before about 10 to 20 billions of
years (according to recent data before about 13,7 billions of
years) – the origin of the universe

• the origin of the Earth before 4,5 billions of years  

• the first life originated before at least 3,8 billions of years

• chemical and biological evolution

Stromatolites are the oldest known macrofossils, dating back over 3 billion years (Earth is ~4.5
billion years old). Microbial reefs created by cyanobacteria
Chemical evolution
• First atmosphere: water vapor, carbon dioxide, hydrogen,
carbon, nitrogen, methane, ammonia, carbon monoxide and
hydrogen sulphate
• NO OXYGEN AND OZONE LAYER

• Aleksandar Ivanovič Oparin  - abiogenesis

theory (life arose from nonlife -
spontaneous formation of organic
molecules) - explains the processes before
biological evolution(1922)
• Prebiotic synthesis

PROTOBIONTS (protocell) - the first

PROTOBIONTS (protocell) - the first
precursors of living cells
precursors of living cells
Primordial soup – 1953. Stanley Miller and Harold Urey model for
origin of life

Monomer polymerisation – formation of

Monomer polymerisation – formation of
macromolecules
macromolecules

Spontaneous polynucleotide formation start

Spontaneous polynucleotide formation start
before about 3,5-4 billions of years –
before about 3,5-4 billions of years –
beginning of biologial evolution
beginning of biologial evolution

Nucleic acids - informational molecules

Nucleic acids - informational molecules
capable of self replication
capable of self replication
 RNA WORLD HYPOTHESIS
Sid Altman and Tom Cech (1982) – RNA capalbe to catalyse
Sid Altman and Tom Cech (1982) – RNA capalbe to catalyse
some reactions, among other things, nucleotide polymerization
some reactions, among other things, nucleotide polymerization

RNA manages the synthesis of a new

RNA manages the synthesis of a new
strand of RNA based on RNA matrix
strand of RNA based on RNA matrix
Has unique ability to serve as a
Has unique ability to serve as a
template and to catalyze its own
template and to catalyze its own
replication
replication
The first cell with the main characteristics of
life :
1. Separation from the outside environment
2. Metabolism
3. Reproduction/replication
 Evolution of metabolic pathways
The ability to storage metabolic energy in the form of ATP

ATP production mechanisms :

The first
photosyntesis
Division of the living world

3 DOMAINS LUCA – LAST UNIVERSAL

COMMONE ANCESTOR

Biological evolution
 Evolution of eukaryotes
Prokaryotes
1. Arhebacteria
2. Eubacteria – bacteria and cyanobacteria

If an alien visited earth, they would likely take

some note of humans, but probably spend most of
their time trying to understand the dominant form
of life on our planet – microorganisms like
bacteria and viruses – Nathan Wolfe
 Prokaryotic cell
bbbbbbb

OUTER CELL STRUCTURE

• glycocalyx
- glycoprotein and glycolipid covering that surrounds
the cell 
- contribute to cellular adhesion, to protect the
bacterium from harmful phagocytes by creating
capsules or allowing the bacterium to attach itself to
inert surfaces, such as teeth or rocks, via biofilms  

• cell wall
– peptidoglycan (murein) • flagellum (pl. flagella)
– solid or flexible – one or more
– protection and cell shape – cell movement

• cell membrane • pilus (pl. pili)

- envelops the cytoplasm – thin extensions on the cell surface
- exchange of matter with the environment – attachment for different surfaces and for
other cells
INNER CELL STRUCTURE:

• nucleoid
- circular DNA

• plasmid
- small circuar DNA
- antibiotic resistance genes

• ribosoms
- protein synthesis

• mesosomes
- increase the surface area of the cell
- it helps in cell wall formation, DNA replication
and distribution to daughter cells
prokaryotic vs. eukaryotic ribosomes:
EUKARYOTA: Monera, Fungi, Plantae,
Animalia

Anything found to be true of E.

Anything found to be true of E.
coli
colimust
mustalso
alsobe
betrue
trueofof
elephants
elephants––Jacques
JacquesMonod
Monod

The eukaryotes developed at least 2.7

billion years ago
 Endosymbiotic theory

1. Two bacteria, each looking 2. But one of them get hungry 3. The ingested bacterium
after their own business continues to live

4. Both bacteria benefit from 5. Ingested bacteria is pasing from one

the new coexistence to another generation

Endosymbiotic theory model 

Mitochondria:
• aerobic bakteria entered into symbiotic relationships with
anaerobic bacteria
• similarities with prokaryotic cell organization (binary fission
and cyrcular DNA)
• without mitochondria eucaryotic cell would be anaerobic

Chloroplast:
• cyanobacteria perform photosynthesis and produce organic
matter for the host
• similarities with prokaryotic cell organization (binary fission
and cyrcular DNA)
 EUCARYOTIC CELL
• Complex inner cell structure
• Organelles (subcellular structure that has one or more specific jobs to perform in
the cell):
Nucelus, ER, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, lisosome, centrosome, peroxisome
• Developed cytoskeleton
• Functional metabolic units

WHAT AREPlant
THE DIFFERENCES
cell BETWEEN PLANT
Animal
AND ANIMAL
cell CELLS?
 BASIC DIFFERENCES OF PROKARYOTS AND EUKARYOTES
Prokaryots Eukaryots
Organization of Unicellular Unicellular, multicellular
the organism
Cell size 1-10 µm 10-100 µm
Metabolism Anaerobic and aerobnic Aerobnic
Organelle Ribosome Present
DNA Circular DNA free in Linear DNA in nucelus
cytoplasm
The size of a prokaryotic cell (E. coli) vs two eukaryotic cells and a virus
Prokaryotic cell Eukaryotic cell

chloroplast mitochondria
circular DNA

nucleus linear DNA

 External link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgQLyqWa
CbA
- Can Science Explain the Origin of Life?
 

QUIZ
• https://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Bi
ology/2/Origins-of-Life-I/226/quiz