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Cited by 104Origins and Evolution of LifeEvolution and Genetic DynamicsRNA and protein synthesis mechanisms

Multilevel Selection in Models of Prebiotic Evolution II: A Direct Comparison of Compartmentalization and Spatial Self-Organization

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Takeuchi, Nobuto, Hogeweg, Paulien·2009·PLoS Computational Biology
DOI 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000542PMC PMC2757730
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Abstract

Multilevel selection has been indicated as an essential factor for the evolution of complexity in interacting RNA-like replicator systems. There are two types of multilevel selection mechanisms: implicit and explicit. For implicit multilevel selection, spatial self-organization of replicator populations has been suggested, which leads to higher level selection among emergent mesoscopic spatial patterns (traveling waves). For explicit multilevel selection, compartmentalization of replicators by vesicles has been suggested, which leads to higher level evolutionary dynamics among explicitly imposed mesoscopic entities (protocells). Historically, these mechanisms have been given separate consideration for the interests on its own. Here, we make a direct comparison between spatial self-organization and compartmentalization in simulated RNA-like replicator systems. Firstly, we show that both mechanisms achieve the macroscopic stability of a replicator system through the evolutionary dynamics on mesoscopic entities that counteract that of microscopic entities. Secondly, we show that a striking difference exists between the two mechanisms regarding their possible influence on the long-term evolutionary dynamics, which happens under an emergent trade-off situation arising from the multilevel selection. The difference is explained in terms of the difference in the stability between self-organized mesoscopic entities and externally imposed mesoscopic entities. Thirdly, we show that a sharp transition happens in the long-term evolutionary dynamics of the compartmentalized system as a function of replicator mutation rate. Fourthly, the results imply that spatial self-organization can allow the evolution of stable folding in parasitic replicators without any specific functionality in the folding itself. Finally, the results are discussed in relation to the experimental synthesis of chemical Darwinian systems and to the multilevel selection theory of evolutionary biology in general. To conclude, novel evolutionary directions can emerge through interactions between the evolutionary dynamics on multiple levels of organization. Different multilevel selection mechanisms can produce a difference in the long-term evolutionary trend of identical microscopic entities.

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  • Coexistence of a replicase ribozyme and its parasitic quasispecies in a multilevel selection regime has been demonstrated.

    “The coexistence of a replicase ribozyme and its parasitic quasispecies in a multilevel selection regime has also been demonstrated in [113].”

    From Ecology and Evolution in the RNA World Dynamics and Stability of Prebiotic Replicator Systems (2017) · cites this paper as [113]

    The Results section (“Evolutionary Dynamics of Replicators with Spatial Population Structure”; page not provided) reports stable coexistence of replicase and parasite in both multilevel-selection models. But the Models section describes simulated replicase and parasite molecules, and the Discussion calls a polymerase ribozyme a candidate for the modeled replicator; the paper does not demonstrate coexistence of a ribozyme with its parasitic quasispecies specifically. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Authors
Takeuchi, N., & Hogeweg, P.
Affiliations
Utrecht University (NL)
Corresponding author
Takeuchi, Nobuto
ORCID
Venue
PLoS Computational Biology
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2009-10-16
Volume
5
Issue
10
Pages
e1000542
ISSN
  • 1553-734X (ISSN-L)
  • 1553-7358
DOI
10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000542
PMC
PMC2757730
OpenAlex
W2153339171
Cited by
104
References
11
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 10
FWCI
2.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS Computational Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (612.060.522)
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
multilevel selection, prebiotic evolution, compartmentalization, vesicles, protocells, spatial self-organization, traveling waves, macroscopic stability, protein folding, mutation rate, evolution of complexity
MeSH terms
Biological Evolution, Models, Theoretical

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