Evolutionary dynamics of RNA-like replicator systems: A bioinformatic approach to the origin of life

Abstract

We review computational studies on prebiotic evolution, focusing on informatic processes in RNA-like replicator systems. In particular, we consider the following processes: the maintenance of information by replicators with and without interactions, the acquisition of information by replicators having a complex genotype-phenotype map, the generation of information by replicators having a complex genotype-phenotype-interaction map, and the storage of information by replicators serving as dedicated templates. Focusing on these informatic aspects, we review studies on quasi-species, error threshold, RNA-folding genotype-phenotype map, hypercycle, multilevel selection (including spatial self-organization, classical group selection, and compartmentalization), and the origin of DNA-like replicators. In conclusion, we pose a future question for theoretical studies on the origin of life.

Virus World as an Evolutionary Network of Viruses and Capsidless Selfish Elements

“…Genetic parasites, i.e., viruses and virus-like selfish elements, seem to be truly ubiquitous: some such elements apparently are associated with all cellular life forms. Mathematical models of the evolution of replicator systems aimed at the reconstruction of the first stages in the history of life invariably reveal partitioning into hosts and parasites (180)(181)(182)(183). This fundamental separation emerges as soon as the evolving systems reach a minimum complexity whereby dedicated replication devices, such as polymerases, evolve and thus can be hijacked by "cheaters," the first parasites (184).…”

Selection dynamics in transient compartmentalization

“…Many works attempted to address the puzzle as reviewed in Ref. [3]. In some recent studies, spatial clustering was found to promote the survival of cooperating replicators [4][5][6].…”

How genetic parasites persist despite the purge of natural selection

“…In particular, numerous viruses have RNA genomes that recapitulate, if not directly descend from, replicators in the primordial RNA world [4,7]. A long tradition of theoretical models has demonstrated that parasites easily emerge and invade populations of cooperative replicators that share components of the replication machinery, a scenario that likely 58001-p1 occurred in the precellular world [8][9][10][11][12]. Such precellular parasites would have specialized to exploit a common pool of replication system components produced by other replicators, in the same manner as cheaters benefit from cooperators in public goods games.…”

“…Initially, the division between transcription and translation could have rendered populations of replicators more resistant to parasite invasion [16]. Subsequently, the host-parasite arms race could have been a main driver of compartmentalization of pre-biotic systems into proto-cells and cells [9,17]. Evolutionary models also suggest that defense against genetic parasites, in particular viruses, could have been one of the major drivers of the origin of multicellular life forms [18].…”