PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ryo Mizuuchi
AU  - Taro Furubayashi
AU  - Norikazu Ichihashi
TI  - Evolutionary transition from a single RNA replicator to a multiple replicator network
AID  - 10.1101/2021.09.09.459571
DP  - 2021 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 2021.09.09.459571
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/09/09/2021.09.09.459571.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/09/09/2021.09.09.459571.full
AB  - In prebiotic evolution, self-replicating molecules are believed to have evolved into complex living systems by expanding their information and functions open-endedly. Theoretically, such evolutionary complexification could occur through successive appearance of novel replicators that interact with one another to form replication networks. Here we performed long-term evolution experiments using an RNA that replicates by a self-encoded RNA replicase. The RNA diversified into multiple coexisting host and parasite lineages, whose frequencies in the population initially fluctuated and gradually stabilized. The final population, comprising five RNA lineages, forms a replicator network with diverse interactions, including cooperation to help the replication of all other members. These results support the capability of molecular replicators to spontaneously develop complexity through Darwinian evolution, a critical step for the emergence of life.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.