Chemically Driven Division of Protocells by Membrane Budding

Division is crucial for replicating 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, using chemical energy to induce vesicle division, similar to the extant of life, has been less explored. This study investigates a mechanism of vesicle division by membrane budding driven by chemical energy without complex molecular machinery. We demonstrate that, in response to chemical fuel, simple fatty acid-based vesicles can bud off smaller daughter vesicles. The division mechanism is finely controlled by adjusting fuel concentration, offering valuable insights into primitive cellular dynamics. We showcase 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 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.