Question

What was the role of anaerobic chemoautotrophs in evolution of life in primordial soup?

Answer 1

In response to depletion of organic nutrients, some early prokaryotes evolved the ability to synthesize organic molecules from inorganic substances by obtaining energy through chemical reactions that do not require oxygen (anaerobic chemoautotrophy). They used energy from anaerobic breakdown of inorganic compounds such as sulfur compounds. These chemoautotrophs helped establish autotrophic life early on and could be compared to certain modern deep-sea sulfur bacteria. This metabolic mode marked the origin of autotrophism in early life.