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Cited by 50Origins and Evolution of LifeEvolution and Genetic DynamicsRNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

From Prelife to Life: How Chemical Kinetics Become Evolutionary Dynamics

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Chen, Irene A., Nowak, Martin A.·2012·Accounts of Chemical Research
DOI 10.1021/ar2002683PMC PMC4610729
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Abstract

Life is that which evolves. Living systems are the products of evolutionary processes and can undergo further evolution. A crucial question for the origin of life is the following: when do chemical kinetics become evolutionary dynamics? In this Account, we review properties of "prelife" and discuss the transition from prelife to life. We describe prelife as a chemical system where activated monomers can copolymerize into macromolecules such as RNA. These macromolecules carry information, and their physical and chemical properties depend to a certain extent on their particular sequence of monomers. We consider prelife as a logical precursor of life, where macromolecules are formed by copolymerization, but they cannot replicate. Prelife can undergo "prevolutionary dynamics", including processes such as mutation, selection, and cooperation. Prelife selection, however, is blunt: small differences in rate constants lead to small differences in abundance. Life emerges with the ability of replication. In the resulting evolutionary dynamics, selection is sharp: small differences in rate constants can lead to large differences in abundance. We also study the competition of different "prelives" and find that there can be selection for those systems that ultimately give rise to replication. The transition from prelife to life can occur over an extended period of time. Instead of a single moment that marks the origin of life, prelife may have seeded many attempts for the origin of life. Eventually life takes over and destroys prelife.

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  • Even without replication, chemical and physical factors will control and alter the sequences that are generated and persist.

    “Even without replication, chemical and physical factors will control and alter the sequences that are generated and persist (Chen and Nowak 2012).”

    From Protocells and RNA Self-Replication (2018) · cites this paper as Chen and Nowak 2012

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References 64 · Cited by 50

Research works printed but not linked: 44

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Authors
Chen, I. A., & Nowak, M. A.
Affiliations
Harvard University (US)
Corresponding author
  • Chen, Irene A.
  • Nowak, Martin A.
ORCID
Venue
Accounts of Chemical Research
Publisher
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Published
2012-02-15
Volume
45
Issue
12
Pages
2088-2096
ISSN
  • 0001-4842 (ISSN-L)
  • 1520-4898
DOI
10.1021/ar2002683
PMC
PMC4610729
OpenAlex
W2121799423
Cited by
50
References
64
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 2
FWCI
2.80
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Accounts of Chemical Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (P50GM068763, R01GM078986)
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
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
Keywords
origin of life, reaction kinetics, evolutionary dynamics, RNA, copolymerization, replication, selection, genetic mutations, cooperation, macromolecules, information carriers
MeSH terms
Origin of Life, Kinetics, RNA, Evolution, Chemical, Static Electricity

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