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Effect of migration in a diffusion model for template coexistence in protocells
José F Fontanari1, Maurizio Serva
1Instituto de Física de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 369, 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil, fontanari@ifsc.usp.br.
Bulletin of Mathematical Biology
|March 13, 2014
Summary
Template migration and group selection in protocells promote template coexistence for prebiotic evolution. Even minimal migration prevents segregation, but high rates lead to dominance of the fittest template.
Area of Science:
- Origin of Life Studies
- Theoretical Biology
- Evolutionary Dynamics
Background:
- Compartmentalization of distinct templates within protocells is crucial for prebiotic evolution scenarios.
- Template exchange (migration) between protocells is a key factor in evolutionary models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analytically investigate the steady-state properties of protocell populations with template migration.
- To understand the conditions favoring the coexistence of distinct template types within protocells.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing the diffusion approximation of population genetics.
- Analytical study of steady-state properties under varying migration rates.
Main Results:
- Group selection favoring mixed template composition enables coexistence.
- In the degenerate case, minimal migration prevents segregation and promotes coexistence.
- In the non-degenerate case, small migration enhances coexistence, but high rates lead to dominance of the most efficient template.
Conclusions:
- Migration rates critically influence template coexistence versus homogeneous dominance in protocells.
- A continuous phase transition exists between coexistence and homogeneous regimes, dependent on migration rate.
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