Résumé
Based on simple, prebiotic chemical reactions of amino acid derivatives, we propose an original scenario accounting for the prebiotic emergence and evolution of polypeptides through a permanent, evolutive molecular engine: the "primary pump", driven by repeated wetting/drying alternations, and continuously fed by "essential" and high-energy molecules. Possible effects of this primary pump, such as the selection of privileged peptide sequences, or the emergence of homochirality are examined.