On the growth rate of non-enzymatic molecular replicators

DOI10.3390/E13101882zbMATH Open1303.92096arXiv1103.5301OpenAlexW3103452260MaRDI QIDQ400950FDOQ400950

Publication date: 26 August 2014

Published in: Entropy (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: It is well known that non-enzymatic template directed molecular replicators X + nO ---> 2X exhibit parabolic growth d[X]/dt = k [X]^{1/2}. Here, we analyze the dependence of the effective replication rate constant k on hybridization energies, temperature, strand length, and sequence composition. First we derive analytical criteria for the replication rate k based on simple thermodynamic arguments. Second we present a Brownian dynamics model for oligonucleotides that allows us to simulate their diffusion and hybridization behavior. The simulation is used to generate and analyze the effect of strand length, temperature, and to some extent sequence composition, on the hybridization rates and the resulting optimal overall rate constant k. Combining the two approaches allows us to semi-analytically depict a fitness landscape for template directed replicators. The results indicate a clear replication advantage for longer strands at low temperatures.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1103.5301

Recommendations

zbMATH Keywords

growth rates Brownian dynamics protocell reaction kinetics minimal replicators non-enzymatic molecular replication product inhibition

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Population dynamics (general) (92D25)

Cites Work

Selection dynamics in autocatalytic systems: Templates replicating through binary ligation

Cited In (2)

This page was built for publication: On the growth rate of non-enzymatic molecular replicators

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q400950)