Evolution from Composome to RNA Replicase

Area of Science:

• Origin of Life Studies
• Biochemistry
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Replication-first models (e.g., Stable Complex Evolution) show progress in RNA replicase evolution but lack breakthroughs.
• Metabolism-first models (e.g., Collectively Autocatalytic Sets) explore metabolic networks but struggle with the transition to RNA replication.
• Existing origin-of-life hypotheses often remain separate, failing to address the interplay between metabolism and replication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel scheme for RNA replicase origin by integrating metabolism-first and replication-first hypotheses.
• To theoretically bridge the gap between chemical evolution and the emergence of biological replication.
• To address the neglect of enzymatic catalysis in metabolism-first theories.

Main Methods:

• Deriving a replication-first Stable Complex Evolution (SCE) scheme from the metabolism-first Graded Autocatalysis Replication Domain (GARD) model.
• Introducing oligonucleotide assemblies and expanding the concept of composomes within the GARD model.
• Analyzing the general evolutionary mechanism of enzymes.

Main Results:

• A novel, integrated scheme for RNA replicase origin is proposed.
• Theoretical support is provided for the mutual dependence of metabolism-first and replication-first hypotheses.
• The scheme offers insights into the evolutionary mechanism of enzymes and their role in early life.

Conclusions:

• The integrated scheme successfully bridges the gap between chemical and biological evolution.
• It provides a theoretical framework for understanding the transition from metabolic networks to RNA replication.
• This work offers crucial insights into the origin of RNA replicase and enzymatic catalysis.