Out‐of‐Equilibrium Self‐Replication Allows Selection for Dynamic Kinetic Stability in a System of Competing Replicators

Abstract

Among the key characteristics of living systems are their ability to self‐replicate and the fact that they exist in an open system away from equilibrium. Herein, we show how the outcome of the competition between two self‐replicators, differing in size and building block composition, is different depending on whether the experiments are conducted in a closed vial or in an open and out‐of‐equilibrium replication–destruction regime. In the closed system, the slower replicator eventually prevails over the faster competitor. In a replication‐destruction regime, implemented through a flow system, the outcome of the competition is reversed and the faster replicator dominates. The interpretation of the experimental observations is supported by a mass‐action‐kinetics model. These results represent one of the few experimental manifestations of selection among competing self‐replicators based on dynamic kinetic stability and pave the way towards Darwinian evolution of abiotic systems.

Supramolecular Senolytics via Intracellular Oligomerization of Peptides in Response to Elevated Reactive Oxygen Species Levels in Aging Cells

“…During this process, the different building blocks can be exchanged via reversible covalent bonds. 18,19 Interestingly, this chemical reaction is highly dependent on the redox environment: disulfide bond cleavage is favored under reducing conditions, but disulfide bond formation is strongly associated with the presence of oxidative agents. 18 Therefore, since the intracellular environment is a reductive environment, the destruction of disulfide bonds prevails.…”