wellwisher
Well-Known Member
The answer appears to be yes, with that purpose connected to water. If you take cells and dehydrate them, nothing in the cell will work properly, even if we leave all the organics and ions in tact. If we add any other solvent, suggested as the basis for possible life, still nothing works properly and there is no life. If we then add water back, everything will work and life appears. Water is critical to life. It forms a copartnership with the organics, with the water leading.
Water was the nano-environment in which even the precursors of life evolved; abiogenesis. Like a macro-environment; desert, which set potentials for certain animals to thrive, the water environment set the selective potentials at the nanoscale, for the needed organics of life, which is why everything works in water. These were all selected by the water for the needs of water. If you add another solvent, it is like bringing a polar bear to the equator. He will not be optimized and this may even be life threatening. But if we return him to where he evolved; polar regions, his optimization returns.
Water brings unique properties to the table, that are needed for life. One important property is the water-oil affect. If we mix water and oil, and shake it, it will form an emulsion. If we stop agitating and allow this to settle, it will phase separate into two layers. The water-oil affect allows water to force the organics of life into specific shapes, as a way to lower the surface tension of the water. Other organic solvents suggested for life do not show the same degree of surface tension with these life materials, so the shapes become different and not optimized to the needs of life.
For example, enzymes are synthesized on ribosomes in the presence of the local water. When these polymers come out hot of the press, they feel the surfacer tension potential of the water. They are forced to pack and do so in a very systematic way, implicit of its composition, that lowers the surface tension of the water, in the fastest way. The result is perfectly packed enzymes every time. Water speeded up the process of protein selection, since not all amino acid sequences pack well enough to become enzymes. Other solvents create more packing errors due to less surface tension.
An interesting tidbit is the genetic material or DNA is the most hydrated molecule in the cell. Part has to do with its large size. However, it is also due to the DNA being selected by water to be its organic liaison due to its ability to be in harmony with water; very low surface tension. This allows water to build outward on the surface of the DNA and wire the DNA to the cellular water. This was an evolving goal at the nano-scale; optimize the water with a template zone that defines low surface tension; high solubility.
Packing proteins change this balance and will cause DNA-packing protein to packmen further in an attempt to lower the added surface tension; DNA beads up in a very systematic way all the way to chromosomes. This simple surface tension switch allows for replication and even cellular differentiation. All cells in our body have the same DNA, yet each cell type can shows a unique differentiation. This can be controlled by surface tension near the DNA.
The most significant property of water is connected to hydrogen bonding. The majority of water selected molecules of life have this same set of hydrogen bonding properties; DNA,RNA, Protein. Hydrogen bonding is unique in that it shows both polar and covalent bonding. The pH affect demonstrates this. This binary nature of the hydrogen bond is like a binary switch that can be used to transmit information.
The polar side of the switch has higher entropy, higher enthalpy and occupies less space. While the covalent side of the switch has lower entropy, lower enthalpy and occupies more space. Liquid water is a crowded place. The information flow, that alters the switches, such as dynamic changes in surface tension as food enters the cells, results in information with both energy and muscle. Through this system of communication water can integrate the workings of the cell, since hydrogen bonding signals move faster than molecular diffusion, and help set the table before the guests arrive.
The purpose of all this is connected to the second law; entropy. Life increases entropy at a pace that is unlike that of inanimate objects. A rock may increase entropy when it forms but after that the pace is very slow as it slowly breaks down over eons. Life is an entropy generating marvel. Water mediates this second law drive. There is a sense of direction.
