Dear Colleagues,

Chemical evolution, i.e., evolution of chemical systems linked through a network of chemical reactions on the prebiotic Earth, gave rise to increasing levels of molecular complexity, and eventually to life as we know it. An important stage during chemical evolution was the formation of inter-connected molecular networks composed of small molecules and polymers that operated at both covalent and non-covalent levels to create three-dimensional architectures. Formation of polymers, their assembly, folding, and at later stages co-assembly of macromolecular complexes, were key innovations that allowed the emergent chemical systems to gain novel functions such as molecular memory, coding, and highly specialized catalytic activity.  In this broad-scope issue we aim to publish papers that highlight the assembly and folding of molecular systems in the context of the origins of life. Specifically, we welcome papers that discuss the potential transitions from prebiotic chemistry to early stages of extant biochemistry that are governed by assembly and folding of polymers and shorter oligomers, from small molecules to large macromolecular assemblies (such as the ribosome). We are interested in papers representing diverse fields, including chemistry, biology, bioinformatics, physics, and geochemistry, which illuminate potential emergent functions of the assembled systems. We invite contributions featuring both theoretical and experimental work that discuss how assembly and folding drove important transitions in evolution of molecular systems and how these transitions led to increasing levels of complexity.

Dr. Moran Frenkel-Pinter
Dr. Anton S. Petrov
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Dr. Anton S. Petrov
Dr. Moran Frenkel-Pinter
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• self-assembly
• amyloids
• protein folding
• macromolecular assemblies
• origins of Life