Mechanism of hemoglycin replication or self-assembly

Ascertain the physical and chemical mechanism by which hemoglycin polymers undergo replication or self-assembly that would drive growth of the diamond 2H rod lattice in space, consistent with observations such as the chiral 480 nm absorption signature.

Background

The authors propose that hemoglycin’s exceptional space-filling efficiency could confer a selection advantage via a form of self-assembly or replication, enabling the lattice to intercept and accrete precursor materials in molecular clouds.

Evidence related to chiral optical activity near 480 nm suggests a route to self-organization, but the specific replication/self-assembly mechanism is not established, and the authors explicitly note this knowledge gap.