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Heat flows solubilize apatite to boost phosphate availability for prebiotic chemistry

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Matreux

    (Ludwig Maximilians University
    PSL University)

  • Almuth Schmid

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

  • Mechthild Rappold

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

  • Daniel Weller

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

  • Ayşe Zeynep Çalışkanoğlu

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

  • Kelsey R. Moore

    (Johns Hopkins University
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Tanja Bosak

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Donald B. Dingwell

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

  • Konstantin Karaghiosoff

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

  • François Guyot

    (Sorbonne Université)

  • Bettina Scheu

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

  • Dieter Braun

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

  • Christof B. Mast

    (Ludwig Maximilians University)

Abstract

Phosphorus is an essential building block of life, likely since its beginning. Despite this importance for prebiotic chemistry, phosphorus was scarce in Earth’s rock record and mainly bound in poorly soluble minerals, with the calcium-phosphate mineral apatite as key example. While specific chemical boundary conditions have been considered to address this so-called phosphate problem, a fundamental process that solubilizes and enriches phosphate from geological sources remains elusive. Here, we show that ubiquitous heat flows through rock cracks can liberate phosphate from apatite by the selective removal of calcium. Phosphate’s strong thermophoresis not only achieves its 100-fold up-concentration in aqueous solution, but boosts its solubility by two orders of magnitude. We show that the heat-flow-solubilized phosphate can feed the synthesis of trimetaphosphate, increasing the conversion 260-fold compared to thermal equilibrium. Heat flows thus enhance solubility to unlock apatites as phosphate source for prebiotic chemistry, providing a key to early life’s phosphate problem.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Matreux & Almuth Schmid & Mechthild Rappold & Daniel Weller & Ayşe Zeynep Çalışkanoğlu & Kelsey R. Moore & Tanja Bosak & Donald B. Dingwell & Konstantin Karaghiosoff & François Guyot & Bettina , 2025. "Heat flows solubilize apatite to boost phosphate availability for prebiotic chemistry," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57110-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57110-3
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thomas Matreux & Paula Aikkila & Bettina Scheu & Dieter Braun & Christof B. Mast, 2024. "Heat flows enrich prebiotic building blocks and enhance their reactivity," Nature, Nature, vol. 628(8006), pages 110-116, April.
    2. Saroj K. Rout & Michael P. Friedmann & Roland Riek & Jason Greenwald, 2018. "A prebiotic template-directed peptide synthesis based on amyloids," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Oliver R. Maguire & Iris B. A. Smokers & Wilhelm T. S. Huck, 2021. "A physicochemical orthophosphate cycle via a kinetically stable thermodynamically activated intermediate enables mild prebiotic phosphorylations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Matthew W. Powner & Béatrice Gerland & John D. Sutherland, 2009. "Synthesis of activated pyrimidine ribonucleotides in prebiotically plausible conditions," Nature, Nature, vol. 459(7244), pages 239-242, May.
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