Sai Krishna Katla, Chenyu Lin, and Juan Pérez-Mercader

PNAS 122 (22) e2412514122

Self-reproduction is one of the most fundamental features of natural life. This study introduces a biochemistry-free method for creating self-reproducing polymeric vesicles. In this process, nonamphiphilic molecules are mixed and illuminated with green light, initiating polymerization into amphiphiles that self-assemble into vesicles. These vesicles evolve through feedback between polymerization, degradation, and chemiosmotic gradients, resulting in self-reproduction. As vesicles grow, they polymerize their contents, leading to their partial release and their reproduction into new vesicles, exhibiting a loose form of heritable variation. This process mimics key aspects of living systems, offering a path for developing a broad class of abiotic, life-like systems.

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