Exploring how microscopic protocells formed with light energy might hold the key to understanding life's beginnings
Imagine if the secret to life's origins could be cooked up in a simple laboratory setup, using basic chemicals and the power of light.
This isn't science fiction—it's the fascinating pursuit of scientists exploring protocells, the hypothetical precursors to the first living cells on Earth. At the forefront of this research are Jeewanu, mysterious particles whose very name derives from the Sanskrit words for "particles of life." First synthesized in 1963 by Indian chemist Krishna Bahadur, these microscopic structures have sparked both curiosity and controversy for decades 1 .
Recent research is now revisiting these remarkable particles with modern scientific tools, exploring a crucial question: how does light, the most fundamental energy source for our planet, influence the very formation and structure of these potential building blocks of life? The answers might bring us one step closer to understanding how lifeless matter first transitioned toward the living world.
0.5 - 4.0 μm in size
Basic chemicals & minerals
Formed with sunlight energy
Exhibit growth properties
The story of Jeewanu begins not in a high-tech modern lab, but in the University of Allahabad in the 1950s and 60s. Krishna Bahadur and his team mixed simple inorganic and organic substances—including paraformaldehyde, ammonium phosphate, and minerals containing molybdenum and iron—in sterilized conditions 1 2 . When this mixture was exposed to sunlight for several days, something remarkable happened: microscopic spherical particles formed, seemingly from scratch.
Krishna Bahadur first synthesizes Jeewanu at University of Allahabad
Formal publication of Jeewanu research
Limited research due to skepticism and reproducibility issues
Modern labs revisit Jeewanu with advanced analytical tools
Bahadur defined Jeewanu as "living units" based on their ability to grow, multiply, and maintain metabolic activity. However, these bold claims were met with skepticism from the broader scientific community, in part because the protocols were frequently changed and documented in ways that were difficult for others to follow 1 2 . For decades, the Jeewanu remained a controversial and largely forgotten footnote in the history of origin-of-life research.
For over half a century, Bahadur's work languished in obscurity. However, a team of intrepid scientists at the Simons Centre for the Study of Living Machines in Bengaluru is now reviving this line of inquiry. Led by Associate Professor Shashi Thutupalli, the team is applying today's advanced analytical tools to rigorously test Bahadur's original claims 2 .
Their experiment focuses on a fundamental process: how different light sources affect the formation and morphology of Jeewanu particles. The "PEM" (Parental Environmental Medium) is a specific mixture of chemicals designed to mimic a prebiotic environment, labeled with the code 1.531211 SMJ 29. The researchers exposed this mixture to two different light sources: the broad spectrum of natural sunlight and the controlled, intense beam of a clinical mercury lamp. Their goal was to systematically observe how these different energy sources influence the very structure and "morphological features" of the resulting Jeewanu particles 3 2 .
The process used by the modern team is a refined version of Bahadur's original protocol, designed for greater precision and reproducibility.
The scientists created a sterilized aqueous mixture containing specific organic and inorganic precursors. Key components included a carbon source (paraformaldehyde), nitrogen and phosphorus sources (ammonium phosphate), and catalytic minerals (compounds of molybdenum and iron) 2 .
The prepared PEM was divided and subjected to controlled irradiation. One set was exposed to natural sunlight, while another was placed under a clinical mercury lamp, which provides a high-energy, full-spectrum light similar to sunlight but more consistent and controllable 3 .
After exposure over days to weeks, the resulting particles were meticulously analyzed. The team used advanced microscopy to track growth and structural changes, and powerful tools like mass spectrometry were employed to identify specific molecules formed within the particles 2 .
The re-examination of Jeewanu synthesis has yielded fascinating insights, both confirming and questioning aspects of the original 1960s claims.
The NCBS team first discovered that only a minimal set of ingredients is truly essential: a carbon source (paraformaldehyde), along with molybdenum, ammonium phosphate, and iron sulphate 2 . Light acts as a catalyst, speeding up the reaction but not being strictly necessary. When they tracked the particles under the microscope, they confirmed one of Bahadur's key observations: the Jeewanu particles do grow. However, they have not yet been able to confirm the claim that the particles reproduce by budding. What the original team might have interpreted as budding could have been particles growing into each other at high densities 2 .
Most intriguing are the preliminary results from the mass spectrometry analysis. Bahadur had claimed the presence of amino acids, and the modern, sensitive analysis suggests he "might indeed have been on the right track," with signatures of amino acids and other small molecules being detected 2 . The crucial property of a semi-permeable membrane, which would allow the particles to act as true compartments, is still under active investigation.
| Original Claim (Bahadur, 1960s) | Finding from Modern Replication |
|---|---|
| Growth and Division by Budding | Growth confirmed; budding not observed and may have been a misinterpretation |
| Presence of Metabolic Products (e.g., Amino Acids) | Preliminary mass spectrometry data suggests signatures of amino acids, supporting the claim |
| Semi-Permeable Membrane Compartment | Ongoing investigation; yet to be conclusively proven |
| Dependence on Sunlight | Light acts as a catalyst for faster formation, but is not an absolute requirement |
| Light Source | Particle Size Range | Surface Texture | Formation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Sunlight | 0.5 - 3.5 μm 1 | Irregular, rougher surface | Slower, more gradual formation |
| Clinical Mercury Lamp | 1.0 - 4.0 μm | More uniform, smoother surface | Faster, more accelerated formation |
| Component Category | Specific Examples Identified | Significance / Proposed Function |
|---|---|---|
| Organic Molecules | Amino acids (in peptide form), phospholipids 1 | Building blocks for proteins and cell membrane structures |
| Sugars | Ribose, deoxyribose, fructose, glucose 1 | Potential for energy and genetic material (ribose, deoxyribose) |
| Nucleic Acid Bases | Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, Thymine, Uracil 1 | Building blocks for RNA and DNA |
| Catalytic Minerals | Colloidal Molybdenum Oxide, Ferric Chloride 1 | Act as catalysts for photochemical reactions and electron transfer |
The data suggests that the clinical mercury lamp, with its intense and full-spectrum output, provides a more uniform energy source, leading to more consistent and faster-growing particle structures. The sunlight, with its fluctuating intensity and specific spectral qualities, appears to produce more heterogeneous structures.
Creating Jeewanu requires a specific set of chemical ingredients, each playing a crucial role in mimicking the conditions of a prebiotic Earth.
The following list details the essential "Research Reagent Solutions" and their functions in the formation of these protocells 1 2 .
Serves as the primary carbon source, providing the essential backbone for constructing organic molecules.
Supplies nitrogen and phosphorus, two vital elements for building amino acids and genetic material.
Act as critical catalysts for photochemical reactions, including facilitating electron transfer 1 .
Another key catalytic mineral that works in concert with molybdenum to drive the formation reactions.
Provides a suite of trace elements (e.g., calcium, potassium, magnesium) that are essential for vital processes and favor the process of abiogenesis 3 .
The research into Jeewanu is far more than an academic exercise. If confirmed, these particles could represent one of the simplest known protocell models. Unlike other artificial cell models that rely on complex, pre-formed polymers, Jeewanu are formed from remarkably simple molecules, making them a compelling candidate for how the first life-like structures might have assembled on early Earth 2 .
One of the simplest known models for early life precursors, formed from basic chemical components.
Demonstrates how simple matter can organize into complex structures under the right conditions.
Illuminates fundamental principles that may govern the emergence of life anywhere in the universe.
This work also beautifully illustrates the self-organizing potential of matter. Under the right conditions, with just a few simple ingredients and an energy source like sunlight, chemistry can give rise to structured, complex systems that exhibit life-like properties such as growth and metabolism. This bridges the once vast gap between the non-living and the living.
The ongoing work at labs like NCBS, and its public exhibition at venues like Science Gallery Bengaluru, opens a rare window into the scientific process 2 . It shows that big questions about our origins are still being actively explored, not with final answers, but with careful experimentation, healthy skepticism, and a sense of wonder. As scientists continue to probe the secrets of the Jeewanu, they are not just recreating the past; they are illuminating the fundamental principles that may govern the emergence of life anywhere in the universe.