Multilevel selection in models of prebiotic evolution II: a direct comparison of compartmentalization and spatial self-organization.

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-organiza

SUBMITTER: Takeuchi N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2757730 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature