Period five indicates autopoiesis

A key scientific challenge is to develop a universal theory of life that integrates our biological knowledge with fundamental logical principles. We propose that a "five nodes" principle may govern the origin of life and consistently exist hierarchically within living systems. In our investigation, we explored autocatalytic chemical reaction networks (CRNs) as potential origins for methanotrophy and anoxygenic phototrophy, aiming to validate the "five nodes" principle in the emergence of autopoietic systems. Our research revealed the emergence of autocatalytic peptides and weakly reversible realizations within the MSA reaction network (composed of CH ₄ , SO ₄ ^2- /SO ₃ ^2- , and NH ₄ ⁺ ) as well as in the light-Sammox (sulfurous reduction coupled to anaerobic ammonium oxidation)-driven CRN (composed of HCO ₃ ^- , SO ₃ ^2- , and NH ₄ ⁺ ) under hydrothermal conditions. Furthermore, we identified the possible emergence of three main interdependent components essential for life within the two reaction networks: membrane compartments, peptide nucleic acids (PNA) backbones, and catalytic capacities for energy release reactions. Our findings suggest that non-equilibrium synergy of five bioessential elements (NESFBE) can facilitate proto-energy and material metabolism, thereby enabling diverse scenarios for life’s origin. Importantly, our discovery indicates linear constraints present in these CRNs that contributed to life’s inception, which is the mathematical foundation of the "five nodes" principle. Linear constraints determine both the emergence and self-disintegration of autopoietic systems. We infer a period five existence based on hierarchical structures found within autopoietic systems, and “period five indicates autopoiesis” could be one of universal theory of life.