The discovery that ATP synthesis is powered by proton gradients was one of the most ... How did LUCA make a living? Chemiosmosis in the origin of life. Bioessays 32, 271–280 (2010) doi:10.1002 ...

Early organisms likely exploited these gradients through a process called chemiosmosis, in which the proton gradient is used to drive synthesis of the universal energy currency, ATP, or simpler ...

Both cytosolic globular and membrane proteins will be considered, as well as an introduction to nucleic acid structure. The module also explains the basic principles of how energy is made available ...

Back to feature: Was our oldest ancestor a proton-powered rock? We may never be able to prove beyond any doubt how life first evolved . But of the many explanations proposed, one stands out ...