From Polymerization-Enabled Folding and Assembly to Chemical Evolution: Key Processes for Emergence of Functional Polymers in the Origin of Life

Chemical and geological processes on prebiotic Earth are believed to have resulted in the emergence of life through the increasing organization and functionality of organic molecules. This primer provides an overview of some key abiotic chemical and physical processes that could have contributed to life’s building blocks (amino acids, nucleotides, fatty acids, and monosaccharides) becoming more ordered during the early stages in the origin of life. The processes considered include polymerization, intramolecular folding, multimolecular assembly, and chemical evolution through various selective mechanisms. Our goal is to provide an accessible, high-level synopsis of these key general concepts for a diverse audience.