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<p>Asymmetric division plays a crucial role in the emergence of cellular diversification and developmental complexity in living systems. Yet, reproducing this behaviour in synthetic cell-like systems remains a key challenge. In a recent study, Meng <i>et al</i>. (<i>Nature</i>, 2026, <b>653</b>(8114), 418–424) reported the formation of multilamellar, liquid crystalline protocell-like droplets exploiting self-assembly of the cationic lipid didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) with anionic nucleotide adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP). In the presence of an enzyme or metal cations, this DDAB-ATP droplet system underwent asymmetric division producing two non-equivalent progeny: a daughter droplet and a water-filled daughter vesicle. These progeny compartments successfully inherited functional molecular cargoes from the parent droplet while demonstrating distinct cargo retention and chemical properties, indicative of a primitive form of molecular inheritance. These findings offered valuable insights into the development of complex, life-like synthetic systems from simple, self-organizing molecular assemblies.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>

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Asymmetric division in liquid-crystalline protocells: From molecular onions to primitive inheritance

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月22日

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  • Manasmita Das

摘要

Asymmetric division plays a crucial role in the emergence of cellular diversification and developmental complexity in living systems. Yet, reproducing this behaviour in synthetic cell-like systems remains a key challenge. In a recent study, Meng et al. (Nature, 2026, 653(8114), 418–424) reported the formation of multilamellar, liquid crystalline protocell-like droplets exploiting self-assembly of the cationic lipid didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) with anionic nucleotide adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP). In the presence of an enzyme or metal cations, this DDAB-ATP droplet system underwent asymmetric division producing two non-equivalent progeny: a daughter droplet and a water-filled daughter vesicle. These progeny compartments successfully inherited functional molecular cargoes from the parent droplet while demonstrating distinct cargo retention and chemical properties, indicative of a primitive form of molecular inheritance. These findings offered valuable insights into the development of complex, life-like synthetic systems from simple, self-organizing molecular assemblies.

Graphical abstract