Parasites Sustain and Enhance RNA-Like Replicators through Spatial Self-Organisation.
In a prebiotic RNA world, parasitic behaviour may be favoured because template dependent replication happens in trans, thus being altruistic. Spatially extended systems are known to reduce harmful effects of parasites. Here we present a spatial system to show that evolution of replication is (indire...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2016-04-01
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| Series: | PLoS Computational Biology |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4847872?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1819101006027292672 |
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| author | Enrico Sandro Colizzi Paulien Hogeweg |
| author_facet | Enrico Sandro Colizzi Paulien Hogeweg |
| author_sort | Enrico Sandro Colizzi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In a prebiotic RNA world, parasitic behaviour may be favoured because template dependent replication happens in trans, thus being altruistic. Spatially extended systems are known to reduce harmful effects of parasites. Here we present a spatial system to show that evolution of replication is (indirectly) enhanced by strong parasites, and we characterise the phase transition that leads to this mode of evolution. Building on the insights of this analysis, we identify two scenarios, namely periodic disruptions and longer replication time-span, in which speciation occurs and an evolved parasite-like lineage enables the evolutionary increase of replication rates in replicators. Finally, we show that parasites co-evolving with replicators are selected to become weaker, i.e. worse templates for replication when the duration of replication is increased. We conclude that parasites may not be considered a problem for evolution in a prebiotic system, but a degree of freedom that can be exploited by evolution to enhance the evolvability of replicators, by means of emergent levels of selection. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:11:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2681998f0b0d495ab2a31f12f5cc90a0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1553-734X 1553-7358 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:11:48Z |
| publishDate | 2016-04-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Computational Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-2681998f0b0d495ab2a31f12f5cc90a02022-12-21T18:43:57ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Computational Biology1553-734X1553-73582016-04-01124e100490210.1371/journal.pcbi.1004902Parasites Sustain and Enhance RNA-Like Replicators through Spatial Self-Organisation.Enrico Sandro ColizziPaulien HogewegIn a prebiotic RNA world, parasitic behaviour may be favoured because template dependent replication happens in trans, thus being altruistic. Spatially extended systems are known to reduce harmful effects of parasites. Here we present a spatial system to show that evolution of replication is (indirectly) enhanced by strong parasites, and we characterise the phase transition that leads to this mode of evolution. Building on the insights of this analysis, we identify two scenarios, namely periodic disruptions and longer replication time-span, in which speciation occurs and an evolved parasite-like lineage enables the evolutionary increase of replication rates in replicators. Finally, we show that parasites co-evolving with replicators are selected to become weaker, i.e. worse templates for replication when the duration of replication is increased. We conclude that parasites may not be considered a problem for evolution in a prebiotic system, but a degree of freedom that can be exploited by evolution to enhance the evolvability of replicators, by means of emergent levels of selection.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4847872?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Enrico Sandro Colizzi Paulien Hogeweg Parasites Sustain and Enhance RNA-Like Replicators through Spatial Self-Organisation. PLoS Computational Biology |
| title | Parasites Sustain and Enhance RNA-Like Replicators through Spatial Self-Organisation. |
| title_full | Parasites Sustain and Enhance RNA-Like Replicators through Spatial Self-Organisation. |
| title_fullStr | Parasites Sustain and Enhance RNA-Like Replicators through Spatial Self-Organisation. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Parasites Sustain and Enhance RNA-Like Replicators through Spatial Self-Organisation. |
| title_short | Parasites Sustain and Enhance RNA-Like Replicators through Spatial Self-Organisation. |
| title_sort | parasites sustain and enhance rna like replicators through spatial self organisation |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4847872?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT enricosandrocolizzi parasitessustainandenhancernalikereplicatorsthroughspatialselforganisation AT paulienhogeweg parasitessustainandenhancernalikereplicatorsthroughspatialselforganisation |