A Model of Prebiotic Replication: Survival of the Fittest versus Extinction of the Unfittest
Abstract
A model of prebiotic replication discussed by Szathmary and Maynard Smith (1997) is refined in accordance with Lifson's (1997) theory on the crucial stages in the origin of animate matter. The refined model accounts for two processes associated with replication: (1) Replicators always decompose at some rate. (2) Replicators deplete their reactants at a rate equal to the rate of their own replication. Consequently, replicators and their reactants are linked by a non-linear feedback process that keeps them within limits and leads them toward a steady state. The model suggests that: (a) All competing replicators, including those which replicate at sub-exponential "parabolic" and super-exponential "hyperbolic" rates, are subject to natural selection. (b) Survival/extinction is determined by positive/negative net-replication irrespective of the mechanism of replication. (c) Being fit/unfit is the consequence of survival/extinction rather than its cause. In other words, natural selection and survival of the fit is the outcome of continual extinction of the unfit.
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The selection-free regime switches to selective upon assuming the exponential decay of single-strands.
“The selection-free regime switches to selective upon assuming the (naturally present) exponential decay of single-strands [80].”
From Ecology and Evolution in the RNA World Dynamics and Stability of Prebiotic Replicator Systems (2017) · cites this paper as [80]
Cites
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Segré, D., Ben-Eli, D., Deamer, D. W., & Lancet, D. (2001) · Origins of life and evolution of the biosphere · doi:10.1023/a:1006746807104 · Cited by 620 · see citing works
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“The selection-free regime switches to selective upon assuming the (naturally present) exponential decay of single-strands [80].”
BackgroundLIFSON, S., & LIFSON, H. (2001) · Journal of Theoretical Biology · doi:10.1006/jtbi.2001.2361 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Self-citationThe basic reproductive ratio of life
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- Authors
- Lifson, S., & Lifson, H.
- Affiliations
- Weizmann Institute of Science (IL)
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL)
- Venue
- Journal of Theoretical Biology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-08
- Volume
- 199
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 425-433
- ISSN
- 0022-5193 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2065269892
- Cited by
- 52
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 3.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Theoretical Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Evolution and Genetic Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Philosophy and History of Science
- Keywords
- origin of life, replicator dynamics, natural selection, reactant depletion, nonlinear feedback, steady state
- MeSH terms
- Origin of Life, Animals, Models, Biological, Selection, Genetic, Evolution, Chemical
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