Protocells Found to Spontaneously Form on Micrometeorites
Protocells are membrane-bound spheres formed from fatty molecules that are thought to resemble the precursors to living cells
HENNING DALHOFF/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Recent research has revealed that membrane-bound structures akin to those enclosing living cells can spontaneously self-assemble on micrometeorites, hinting at the potential role of dust scattered across planets in the genesis of life.
Irep Gözen from GOMOD, a research and education company in Sweden, expresses excitement over this discovery, stating, “If we can show that protocells are forming on micrometeorites on Earth, then it’s evident that this could happen on other habitable planets.”
Protocells, which are membrane-bound spheres formed from fatty molecules and believed to mimic the early stages of living cells, typically form in solution. However, Gözen’s research focuses on how certain surfaces can trigger protocell formation in environments where it wouldn’t naturally occur.
Surfaces possess inherent energy that can drive this transformation due to the incomplete bonding of atoms on their exposed sides. Gözen explains, “The moment you create a surface, it will have this excess energy that it wants to get rid of.”
In a study involving three types of micrometeorites and various lipid suspensions, Gözen and her team observed the spontaneous formation of protocells on the rough, grainy surfaces. Particularly noteworthy was the abundance of protocells in samples containing the same lipids found in archaea cell membranes.
Gözen emphasizes that this study is just a preliminary demonstration, given the diverse range of micrometeorites available. While the findings don’t definitively explain the origin of the first living cells, they offer intriguing insights, considering the presence of simple organic compounds on meteorites and the widespread distribution of micrometeorites across planetary surfaces.
Dr. Anna Wang from the University of New South Wales Sydney commends the study, noting, “I think it’s exciting that micrometeorites have sufficient surface energy to drive the [protocell] formation mechanism.”
Gözen further highlights the unique properties of protocells formed on surfaces, stating, “They form these interesting networks of protocells with little nanotubular connections in between, so they can actually transfer their contents. They can do a very rudimentary form of signalling.”
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