Nanoscopic spontaneous poration as a precursor to protein-based transport in early protocells.

Understanding the mechanisms of material transport in protocells before the emergence of proteins is crucial to uncovering the origins of cellular life. While previous research has demonstrated that direct permeation is a feasible transport mechanism for protocells with fatty acid-based membranes, this process becomes less efficient as membranes evolve to include phospholipids-before the advent of protein transport systems. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated fundamental processes that could have facilitated molecular transport in such protein-free systems.