Exploring the Evolutionary History of the Endocannabinoid System: From Interstellar Chemistry to Biodiversity on Earth and Beyond It

The discovery of Ethanolamine in the universe has important implications for understanding the evolution of life on Earth and potentially beyond it. This molecule, a precursor of phospholipids, was detected in the center of the galaxy approximately 25,000 light-years away.

This confirms that interstellar chemistry can efficiently form essential precursors of important molecules like phospholipids, which is particularly interesting when considering the evolutionary history of the endocannabinoid system. For example, Ethanolamine is a phosphatidylethanolamine precursor, a crucial phospholipid component of biological membrane structures. Additionally, Ethanolamine is also part of the composition of the endocannabinoid Anandamide, which plays a role in modulating various physiological and pathophysiological processes in different species of the animal kingdom.

The presence of Ethanolamine on primitive Earth could have played a significant role in forming efficient and permeable amphiphilic molecules like phospholipids, leading to the evolution of the first cellular membranes and allowing for more robust structures and more efficient membranes. This discovery opens up new possibilities for understanding the Evolution of life on Earth and the potential for life beyond our planet.

The physical and chemical processes that gave rise to life dominated the Earth's past. It is the only known planet that hosts chemical reactions involved in the metabolism of living organisms.

Approximately 4 billion years ago, life needed membranes to protect it. Compartmentalization, information, and metabolism allowed life to become more complex, multiply and evolve when organized into autonomous chemical systems and the ability to adapt to almost all environments.

Continuously, the Earth received solar energy, cosmic ray particles, and matter brought by celestial bodies that allowed the formation of essential molecules for life, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids from chemical elements and molecules formed in interstellar space.

The evolutionary history of the endocannabinoid system probably begins with the detection of ethanolamine (NH2CH2CH2OH) in the Sagittarius B2 complex at the center of the galaxy - a giant cloud approximately 25,000 light-years away - confirming that an essential precursor of phospholipids is formed efficiently by interstellar chemistry.

Ethanolamine may have been transferred from the proto-solar nebula to planetesimals and smaller bodies in the Solar System and later to primitive Earth. The prebiotic availability of ethanolamine on primitive Earth could have triggered the formation of efficient and permeable amphiphilic molecules such as phospholipids, playing a significant role in the evolution of the first cellular membranes and allowing for more robust structures and more efficient membranes.

Ethanolamine is a precursor of phosphatidylethanolamine, a distinct class of phospholipids that is part of the composition of biological membrane structures. Additionally, ethanolamine is part of the composition of the endocannabinoid Anandamide, one of the most well-known endocannabinoids produced from the cellular membranes of various organisms. It has autocrine and paracrine action, modulating multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes.

Anandamide is identified as the endogenous lipid ligand of specific transmembrane receptors, such as cannabinoid receptors type 1 and type 2, which modulate various physiological and pathophysiological processes in multiple species of different clades of the animal kingdom.

In summary, the detection of ethanolamine in the universe and its presence on primitive Earth has significant implications for understanding the evolution of life and may lead to surprising discoveries about the possible existence of life outside of Earth.

Reference: Discovery in space of ethanolamine, the simplest phospholipid head group

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