Title: The Major Transitions in Evolution
1Catalyst molecules help make a reaction happen,
but dont bind permanently. Like a frying pan
makes a grilled cheese the sandwich is served
without the frying pan attached.
2Kauffman noted that the molecule created in one
reaction can become the catalyst for another. If
pairs of reactions created the catalysts for each
other, we would have a closed autocatalytic set.
3Kauffman noted that the molecule created in one
reaction can become the catalyst for another. If
pairs of reactions created the catalysts for each
other, we would have a closed autocatalytic set.
A and B are food molecules providing the
energy to drive the system.
4Kauffman hypothesizes that some autocatalytic
sets will be have faster cycles than others. They
will be selected in Darwins sense. Evolution
without a genomeeventually resulting in DNA.
5Origins of Life - Brainstorming Workshop - CERN
2011
No rigorous analysis of the putative
evolvability of Kauffmans hypothesis has been
carried out so far. Previous analysis just
forgot that Darwinian evolution is a population
concept what is needed is to simulate a
population of compartments enclosing
autocatalytic sets.
6Origins of Life - Brainstorming Workshop - CERN
2011
Can Kauffmans autocatalytic sets be units of
evolution?
No! The original Farmer-type networks always
have one attractor. Kauffmans original polymer
chemistry when enclosed in a finite space will
eventually crystallize into the same attracting
network and can never ever be a Darwinian
unit. However, the addition of rare novel
species can result in the ignition of a novel
self-reproducing viable loop. In this case
selection could work.