Did Membrane Proteins Play a Role in the Origin of Life?

💡 The Answer

• Primitive membrane proteins likely enabled selective permeability in protocells.
• Small peptides that formed simple channels could have facilitated nutrient uptake.
• ATP synthase-like ancestor may have harnessed early proton gradients.
• The first membrane proteins were probably short, hydrophobic alpha helices.
• Their evolution allowed cellular compartments to maintain internal chemistry.