180 SESSION II. DISCUSSION 



shown that the presence of oxygen is necessary for the first phases in the development 

 of anaerobes. Even if it is correct to suppose that Hfe originated on the Earth under 

 reducing conditions, still its development, the origin of the biosphere on the Earth and 

 the further evolution of Hving forms is, of necessity, associated with an oxidoreductive 

 complex of reactions. The biosphere, as a whole, forms a frontier between the lithosphère 

 and hydrosphere, on one side, and the atmosphere on the other. 



As for petroleum, accumulations of it could only be formed and preserved until the 

 present in the enclosed structures of the lithosphère, in formations which could act as 

 reservoirs. 



From this it follows that the thermodynamic conditions and whole geochemical state 

 required for the appearance of living material and those required for the mass formation 

 of the hydrocarbons of petroleum were not merely opposite in character, but were 

 mutually exclusive. On those planets where there is a large amount of hydrocarbons 

 (Saturn and Jupiter) there is no life. It is much to be regretted that Prof. P. N. Kropotkin's 

 paper not only docs not help towards a solution of the problem of the conditions necessary 

 for the origin of life, but is even misleading about a problem which is outside the 

 programme of this Symposium, namely that of whether the origin of petroleums was 

 organic or inorganic. 



The views of Prof. P. N. Kropotkin on this subject are in contradiction to the 

 evidence of observation and to the scientific ideas of most Soviet scientists who are 

 working on the problem of the origin of petroleums. It is incorrect to believe, as P. N. 

 Kropotkin does, that there are industrially worth-while deposits of petroleum in the 

 rocks of the foundation and that there is no connection between the production of 

 petroleum and the sedimentary rocks The best proof of the organic origin of 

 petroleum is given by its regional distribution and the association of petroleum formation 

 with dispersed organic material in sedimentary rocks. These latter contain the same 

 sort of hydrocarbons as petroleum and often the components found on chemical analysis 

 of 'dispersed' bitumen show that its composition is very similar to that of one fraction 

 or another of petroleum. 



The mechanism of the formation of petroleum from organic material is being more 

 and more clearly revealed in numerous works by Soviet scientists \j, 8, 9]. 



During the last 20-25 years work has been going on concerning organic catalysis in 

 sedimentary formations I5, 6, 9]. Fresh-water and marine deposits and sedimentary 

 formations from a depth of 2 km (Upper Devonian) have been studied. 



The results of these experiments, which were carried out under conditions similar to 

 those occurring naturally, were to show that ancient sedimentary formations, containing 

 dispersed organic material, have enzymic properties [6]. 



The enzymic properties of the sedimentary formations are revealed by the fact that 

 they bring about many reactions which cannot be caused by the action of inorganic 

 catalysts, whether they be clayey minerals or compounds of such multivalent elements 

 as vanadium, nickel or chromium. Among such reactions are included the hydrolysis of 

 proteins and polysaccharides. Many ancient sedimentary formations can act as catalases 

 and reductases. 



Furthermore, the conditions under which tlie enzymic properties of the sedimentary 

 formations manifest themselves are markedly different from those necessary for inorganic 

 catalysis ; all the processes which we have studied take place in the presence of natural 

 moisture and at temperatures no higher than 50 °C. 



The enzymic activity of the formations is independent of the depth from which they 

 are obtained and of their age. 



What is the cause of the enzymic activity of the formations ? Do they contain molecules 

 of the enzymes with which we are familiar or only fragments of such molecules which 

 retain some activity ? Is there, maybe, new formation of enzymes occurring after diagenesis ? 

 All these questons still require answering and may be important in connection with the 

 early period of the emergence of life on the Eartli. 



It seems to me to be necessary to direct the attention of biochemists and geochemists 

 to the study of these 'fossil enzymes.' 



The results which I have described have, however, been obtained by the investigation 

 of more than a thousand different specimens of rock. They demonstrate the lack 

 of uniformity of the properties of the different parts of the lithosphère, one part having 

 clearly defined enzymic properties while other formations are inactive. 



The enzymic properties of sedimentary formations bring about various transformations 



