Parasitic behavior in competing chemically fueled reaction cycles

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry and Systems Chemistry
• Origin of Life Studies
• Synthetic Biology

Background:

• Non-equilibrium, fuel-driven reaction cycles are fundamental models for biological networks.
• Reaction cycles coupled with assembly processes like phase separation exhibit complex dynamics.
• The impact of multiple interacting reaction cycles on emergent assemblies is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how the interplay between multiple fuel-driven reaction cycles influences the stability and behavior of emergent molecular assemblies.
• To explore the role of competition for fuel in modulating product lifetimes and system robustness.
• To understand if parasitic interactions can emerge and contribute to lifelike traits in synthetic systems.

Main Methods:

• Development of a molecular library designed to compete for a common fuel source.
• Analysis of how fuel competition affects the transient activation and lifetime of molecular products.
• Investigation of phase separation phenomena in competitor-product systems under varying fueling conditions (including oscillatory fueling).

Main Results:

• A competitor molecule, under specific conditions (phase separation), can paradoxically increase the survival time of another product by consuming fuel.
• Oscillatory fueling leads to dampened product concentration variations and enhanced competitor concentration variations.
• A parasitic dynamic emerges where one product benefits from the other's presence, increasing its robustness against fuel fluctuations at the host's expense.

Conclusions:

• Interplay between competing fuel-driven reaction cycles can lead to emergent cooperative and parasitic behaviors.
• Phase separation can mediate unexpected survival benefits for molecular products in competitive environments.
• These findings demonstrate lifelike traits in synthetic systems, offering a pathway for bottom-up design of artificial life.