Peptide-Oleate Complexes Create Novel Membrane-Bound Compartments

Abstract

A challenging question in evolutionary theory is the origin of cell division and plausible molecular mechanisms involved. Here, we made the surprising observation that complexes formed by short alpha-helical peptides and oleic acid can create multiple membrane-enclosed spaces from a single lipid vesicle. The findings suggest that such complexes may contain the molecular information necessary to initiate and sustain this process. Based on these observations, we propose a new molecular model to understand protocell division.

Keywords: cell division; giant unilamellar vesicles; oleic acid; peptides; peptide–oleate complexes; phospholipids; protocells.