Artificial Self-Replication of Peptide Nanocapsules

复制是生物学运作的关键，但分子复制因子如何在早期地球上自发产生仍然是一个悬而未决的问题。分子自我复制的能力一定出现在生物目前所使用的高度进化的酶的发展之前。这项未来奖学金的目的是开发一种肽纳米胶囊，能够通过自模板连接非酶复制自身，从而提供一个具有达尔文进化论出现所需特征的平台。通过更好地了解自我复制系统的设计和功能，该项目有望改变我们对生命出现所需的一些关键化学原理的理解。

Replication is key to the operation of biology, but how molecular replicators arose spontaneously on early Earth remains an open question. The ability of molecules to self-replicate must have come before the development of the highly evolved enzymes that biology currently employs. The aim of this Future Fellowship is to develop a peptide nanocapsule capable of replicating itself nonenzymatically by self-templated ligation, thus offering a platform that possesses the traits needed for Darwinian evolution to emerge. By obtaining a better understanding of the design and function of self-replicating systems, this project is expected to transform our understanding of some of the key chemical principles needed for life's emergence.