Horizontal transfer between loose compartments stabilizes replication of fragmented ribozymes

Area of Science:

• Origin of Life Studies
• Biochemistry
• Systems Biology

Background:

• Self-replicating molecules are central to understanding the origin of life.
• Fragmented RNA polymerase ribozymes offer a potential pathway to self-replication.
• Sustained replication requires balanced production of all essential molecular fragments.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the conditions for continued self-replication of fragmented replicases.
• Determine the role of compartmentalization and horizontal transfer in replicase stability.
• Explore mechanisms that overcome replication biases in early life forms.

Main Methods:

• Mathematical modeling of fragmented replicase dynamics.
• Analysis of replication under batch conditions.
• Simulation of systems with compartmentalization and horizontal transfer.

Main Results:

• Fragmented replicases fail to self-replicate in simple batch conditions due to biased replication from positive feedback.
• Instability is resolved by horizontal transfer between compartments, enabling balanced fragment production.
• Negative frequency-dependent selection in compartmentalized populations sustains all essential fragments.

Conclusions:

• Compartmentalization and horizontal transfer are essential for the emergence of stable, self-replicating replicases.
• These mechanisms provide a pathway for overcoming replication biases in early life.
• The study highlights the importance of these processes in the transition to self-sustaining life.