Trajectory-dependent Compositional Outcomes in a Prebiotic Reaction Network

Abstract Prebiotic environments were dynamic, containing a range of periodic and aperiodic variations in reaction conditions. However, the impact of the temporal dynamics of environmental conditions upon prebiotic chemical reaction networks (CRNs) has not been investigated. Here, we demonstrate how the magnitude and rate of temporal fluctuations of the catalysts Ca2+ and OH– control product distributions of the formose reaction. Surprisingly, the product compositions of the formose reaction under dynamic conditions deviate significantly from those under steady state conditions. We attribute these compositional changes to the non-uniform propagation of fluctuations through the network thereby shaping reaction outcomes. Examination of temporal concentration patterns showed that collections of compounds responded collectively to perturbations, indicating key ‘gating’ reactions branching from the Breslow cycle may be important responsive features of the formose reaction. Our findings show how the compositions of prebiotic reaction networks were shaped by sequential environmental events, illustrating the necessity for considering the temporal traits of prebiotic environments that supported the origin of life.