From self-replication to replicator systems en route to de novo life
Abstract
The process by which chemistry can give rise to biology remains one of the biggest mysteries in contemporary science. The de novo synthesis and origin of life both require the functional integration of three key characteristics - replication, metabolism and compartmentalization - into a system that is maintained out of equilibrium and is capable of open-ended Darwinian evolution. This Review takes systems of self-replicating molecules as starting points and describes the steps necessary to integrate additional characteristics of life. We analyse how far experimental self-replicators have come in terms of Darwinian evolution. We also cover models of replicator communities that attempt to solve Eigen's paradox, whereby accurate replication needs complex machinery yet obtaining such complex self-replicators through evolution requires accurate replication. Successful models rely on a collective metabolism and a way of (transient) compartmentalization, suggesting that the invention and integration of these two characteristics is driven by evolution. Despite our growing knowledge, there remain numerous key challenges that may be addressed by a combined theoretical and experimental approach.
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If transport of those compounds would be fast compared to the reaction, the amount of new ATP produced would be directly proportional to the actual volume of the coacervate droplet, leading to an exponential increase in droplet volume (and radius) in time, analogous to the kinetics of a pure autocatalytic reaction.
“If transport of those compounds would be fast compared to the reaction, we expect the amount of new ATP produced to be directly proportional to the actual volume of the coacervate droplet, leading to an exponential increase in droplet volume (and radius) in time, analogous to the kinetics of a pure autocatalytic reaction33.”
From Active coacervate droplets are protocells that grow and resist Ostwald ripening (2021) · cites this paper as [33]
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Active coacervate droplets are protocells that grow and resist Ostwald ripening
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- Authors
- Adamski, P., Eleveld, M., Sood, A., Kun, Á., Szilágyi, A., Czárán, T., Szathmáry, E., & Otto, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Groningen (NL)
- Eötvös Loránd University (HU)
- Corresponding author
- Szathmáry, Eörs
- Otto, Sijbren
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature Reviews Chemistry
- Published
- 2020-07-01
- Volume
- 4
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 386-403
- ISSN
- 2397-3358 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3039634568
- Cited by
- 200
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 25 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 33 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 2.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Nature Reviews Chemistry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Repository of the Academy's Library (Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences) (acceptedVersion)
- University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
- 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, self-replication, Darwinian evolution, metabolism, compartmentalization, nonequilibrium systems
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