Engineering topics

Fox, S. W.

Publications and source records attributed to Fox, S. W..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS1991

Molecular bases for unity and diversity in organic evolution

The origin of biological information has been ascribed at various times to DNA, RNA, or protein. The origin of nucleic acids without the action of prior informed protein has not been supported by plausible experiments, although such possibilities have been examined. The behavior of thermal proteins and of the microspheres selfassembled therefrom explain the origin of the first cells, the first membrane, the first reproduction cycle, ancient metabolism including ATP-aided synthesis of peptides and polynucleotides, growth, bioelectricity, and polybiofunctionality in general.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1989

From non-random molecular structure to life and mind

The evolutionary hierarchy molecular structure-->macromolecular structure-->protobiological structure-->biological structure-->biological functions has been traced by experiments. The sequence always moves through protein. Extension of the experiments traces the formation of nucleic acids instructed by proteins. The proteins themselves were, in this picture, instructed by the self-sequencing of precursor amino acids. While the sequence indicated explains the thread of the emergence of life, protein in cellular membrane also provides the only known material basis for the emergence of mind in the context of emergence of life.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1987

Pharmacological activities in thermal proteins: relationships in molecular evolution

The model of protobiological events that has been presented in these pages has increasing relevance to pharmacological research. The thermal proteins that function as key substances in the proteinoid theory have recently been found to prolong the survival of rat forebrain neurons in culture and to stimulate the growth of neurites. A search for such activity in thermal proteins added to cultures of modern neurons was suggested by the fact that some of the microspheres assembled from proteinoids rich in hydrophobic amino acids themselves generate fibrous outgrowths.

NASA Discipline Exobiology↗

NASA NTRS1987

Metabolism of proteinoid microspheres

The literature of metabolism in proteinoids and proteinoid microspheres is reviewed and criticized from a biochemical and experimental point of view. Closely related literature is also reviewed in order to understand the function of proteinoids and proteinoid microspheres. Proteinoids or proteinoid microspheres have many activities. Esterolyis, decarboxylation, amination, deamination, and oxidoreduction are catabolic enzyme activities. The formation of ATP, peptides or oligonucleotides is synthetic enzyme activities. Additional activities are hormonal and inhibitory. Selective formation of peptides is an activity of nucleoproteinoid microspheres; these are a model for ribosomes. Mechanisms of peptide and oligonucleotide syntheses from amino acids and nucleotide triphosphate by proteinoid microspheres are tentatively proposed as an integrative consequence of reviewing the literature.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1987

Metabolism of proteinoid microspheres

The literature of metabolism in proteinoids and proteinoid microspheres is reviewed and criticized from a biochemical and experimental point of view. Closely related literature is also reviewed in order to understand the function of proteinoids and proteinoid microspheres. Proteinoids or proteinoid microspheres have many activities. Esterolysis, decarboxylation, amination, deamination, and oxidoreduction are catabolic enzyme activities. The formation of ATP, peptides or oligonucleotides is synthetic enzyme activities. Additional activities are hormonal and inhibitory. Selective formation of peptides is an activity of nucleoproteinoid microspheres; these are a model for ribosomes. Mechanisms of peptide and oligonucleotide syntheses from amino acids and nucleotide triphosphate by proteinoid microspheres are tentatively proposed as an integrative consequence of reviewing the literature.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1986

Protobiological informatoin, bidirectional recognition and reverse translation

Emergence of protobiological information has been suggested by experiments in which heated mixtures of alpha-amino acids order themselves into a self limited array of thermal proteins. The polymers display selective catalytic, hormonal, and other activities. Interactions of varied cationic thermal proteins with polynucleotides indicate selective recognition in both directions. Reverse translation is partly a missing link in the molecular evolution flowsheet. The self ordering of amino acids serves conceptually as a deterministic evolutionary precursor of the modern coding mechanism. The possibility for the evolution of information at an early nontemplated protein stage is supported by findings of electrical signals from proteinoid microspheres prepared with no DNA/RNA in their history. The deposition of thermal copolyamino acids on lipid membranes in the Mueller-Rudin apparatus has here been found to produce electrical behavior like that evoked by bacterial EIM polypeptide. A new procedure is to make a film of membrane on the electrode; the results provide maximal repeatability. The principle of nonrandom biomacromolecular specificity identified by these studies in molecular evolution have been extrapolated to principles of evolution of advanced organisms.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1986

The evolutionary sequence: origin and emergences

The evolutionary sequence is being reexamined experimentally from a "Big Bang"origin to the protocell and from the emergence of protocell and variety of species to Darwin's mental power (mind) and society (The Descent of Man). A most fundamentally revisionary consequence of experiments is an emphasis on endogenous ordering. This principle, seen vividly in ordered copolymerization of amino acids, has had new impact on the theory of Darwinian evolution and has been found to apply to the entire sequence. Herein, I will discuss some problems of dealing with teaching controversial subjects.

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS1986

Molecular selection in a unified evolutionary sequence

With guidance from experiments and observations that indicate internally limited phenomena, an outline of unified evolutionary sequence is inferred. Such unification is not visible for a context of random matrix and random mutation. The sequence proceeds from Big Bang through prebiotic matter, protocells, through the evolving cell via molecular and natural selection, to mind, behavior, and society.

Review, Tutorial↗

NASA NTRS1984

Self-sequencing of amino acids and origins of polyfunctional protocells

The role of proteins in the origin of living things is discussed. It has been experimentally established that amino acids can sequence themselves under simulated geological conditions with highly nonrandom products which accordingly contain diverse information. Multiple copies of each type of macromolecule are formed, resulting in greater power for any protoenzymic molecule than would accrue from a single copy of each type. Thermal proteins are readily incorporated into laboratory protocells. The experimental evidence for original polyfunctional protocells is discussed.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Self-organization of the protocell was a forward process

Yockey's (1981) interpretation of information theory relative to concepts of self-organization in the origin of life is criticized on the ground that it assumes that each amino acid residue type in a given sequence is an unaided information carrier throughout evolution. It is argued that more than one amino acid residue can act as a unit information carrier, and that this was the case in prebiotic protein evolution. Forward-extrapolation should be used to study prebiotic evolution, not backward-extrapolation. Transposing the near-random internal order of modern proteins to primitive proteins, as Yockey has done, is an unsupported assumption and disagrees with the results of experimental models of the primordial type. Studies indicate that early primary information carriers in evolution were mixtures of free alpha amino acids which necessarily had the capability of sequencing themselves.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Ancient microspheres - Abiogenic, protobiogenic, or biogenic?

Criteria of biogenicity of microspheroidal objects, which have been interpreted as microfossils, are here reviewed in the light of additional data. Much weight has been placed by some commentators on constrained heterogeneity as a primary criterion of biogenicity. The data from the field and laboratory suggest the need for continuing reservation in the interpretation of these objects. On the basis of these and other data, reasons are given for the alternative explanation that the objects are lithified relics of protobiotic assemblages. The question remains open as to whether the early Archean spheroidal objects are abiotic, protobiotic, or biotic in origin.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Towards an organic photobattery - Photovoltaic properties of some thermal copolyamino acids

Thermal copolymers of amino acids have been examined as a novel material for photovoltaic devices. Due to the steric effects of amino acids during polymerization, these polymers are highly ordered, and pigments such as flavins and pterins are formed as part of the polymer. The controllably varied composition of the amino acids in the polymer makes it possible to get either electron-donor or electron-acceptor, or both kinds of groups in varying degrees. The constituent photosensitive element has been made either of photosensitive polymer film or spherule.

Przybylski, A. T.↗

NASA NTRS1982

The updated experimental proteinoid model

The experimental proteinoid model includes new results indicating that polymers sufficiently rich in basic amino acid catalyze the synthesis of peptides from ATP and amino acids and of oligonucleotides from ATP. The need for simulation syntheses of amino acids yielding significant proportions of basic amino acids is now in focus. The modeled simultaneous protocellular synthesis of peptides and polynucleotides is part of a more comprehensive proposal for the origin of the coded genetic mechanism. The finding of membrane and action potentials in proteinoid microspheres, with or without added lecithin, is reported. The crucial nature of a nonrandom matrix for protocells is developed.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Membrane, action, and oscillatory potentials in simulated protocells

Electrical membrane potentials, oscillations, and action potentials are observed in proteinoid microspheres impaled with (3 M KCl) microelectrodes. Although effects are of greater magnitude when the vesicles contain glycerol and natural or synthetic lecithin, the results in the purely synthetic thermal protein structures are substantial, attaining 20 mV amplitude in some cases. The results add the property of electrical potential to the other known properties of proteinoid microspheres, in their role as models for protocells.

Syren, R. M.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Microencapsulation of methylglyoxal and two derivatives

Microcapsules of methylglyoxal, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), and methylglyoxal-ascorbic acid condensation complex were prepared and release curves were determined. The effect of various concentrations of hydrochloric acid on the decomposition of the ascorbic acid complex was investigated.

Nozawa, Y.↗

NASA NTRS1981

From inanimate matter to living systems

Current understandings of the origin and evolution of life on earth from inaminate matter are reviewed. Approaches to the study of early life and its origin are considered, and it is noted that whereas the inference of origins from knowledge at hand is the approach favored by most theoreticians, only the laboratory simulation of the assembly of precellular polymers to protocells under geologically relevant conditions is capable of indicating the way in which life began. Progress in simulating the step-by-step emergence of a protocell composed of ordered macromolecules and having numerous protobiological activities through stages characterized by primordial matter, amino acids, proteinoids, protocells, light-active protocells and nucleic-acid instructed cells is discussed, with particular emphasis on experiments with proteinoid microspheres formed from self-ordered copolyamino acids. The subsequent development of ordered, protometabolic, infrastructured protoreproductive protocells is examined noting the importance of the formation of lysine-rich proteinoids with catalytic activities. Attention is also given to questions of the point of the actual emergence of life and scientific and creationist objections to the theory developed.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Terrestrial evolution of polymerization of amino acids - Heat to ATP

Sets of amino acids containing sufficient trifunctional monomer are thermally polymerized at temperatures such as 65 deg; the amino acids order themselves. Various polymers have diverse catalytic activities. The polymers aggregate, in aqueous solution, to cell-like structures having those activities plus emergent properties, e.g. proliferatability. Polyamino acids containing sufficient lysine catalyze conversion of free amino acids, by ATP, to small peptides and a high molecular weight fraction. The lysine-rich proteinoid is active in solution, within suspensions of cell-like particles, or in other particles composed of lysine-rich proteinoid and homopolyribonucleotide. Selectivities are observed. An archaic polyamino acid prelude to coded protein synthesis is indicated.

Fox, S. W.↗

NASA NTRS1981

A model for protocellular coordination of nucleic acid and protein syntheses

The proteinoid model for the coordination of protein synthesis with nucleic acid coding within the evolving protocell is discussed. Evidence for the self-ordering of amino acid chains, which would enhance the catalytic activity of a lysine-rich proteinoid, is presented, along with that for the preferential formation of microparticles, particularly proteinoid microparticles, in various solutions. Demonstrations of the catalytic activity of lysine-rich proteinoids in the synthesis of peptide and internucleotide bonds are pointed out. The view of evolution as a two stage sequence in which the geological synthesis of peptides evolved to the protocellular synthesis of peptides and oligonucleotides is discussed, and contrasted with the alternative view, in accord with the central dogma, that nucleic acids arose first then governed the production of proteins and protocells.

Fox, S. W.↗