Chemically Driven Self-Division in Protocells Models.

Division is crucial for replication of biological compartments and by extension a fundamental aspect of life. Current studies highlight the importance of simple vesicular structures in prebiotic conditions, yet the mechanisms behind their self-division remain poorly understood. Recent research suggests that environmental factors can induce phase transitions in fatty acid-based protocells, leading to vesicle fission. However, the transduction role of chemical energy in facilitating vesicle division has been less explored. This study investigates a mechanism of vesicle self-division driven by chemical energy without complex molecular machinery. We demonstrate that simple vesicles can undergo division into smaller daughter vesicles upon exposure to a chemical fuel. Our findings reveal that the division mechanism is finely controlled by adjusting fuel concentration, offering valuable insights into primitive cellular dynamics. This process showcases the robustness of self-division across different fatty acids, retaining encapsulated materials during division and suggesting protocell-like behavior. These results underscore the potential for chemical energy to drive autonomous self-replication in protocell models, highlighting a plausible pathway for the emergence of life. Furthermore, this study contributes to the development of synthetic cells, enhancing our understanding of the minimal requirements for cellular life and providing a foundation for future research in synthetic biology and the origins of life.