Energy-harnessing problem solving of primordial life: Modeling the emergence of catalytic host-nested parasite life cycles

PLOS ONE · 6 authors, 4 centres

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 100%

This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

AGENT 01 · STRUCTURED SUMMARY

TRACE TO SOURCE

“

TL;DR

This computational modeling study uses an adapted Lotka-Volterra framework to simulate the energetic conditions of LUCA-like organisms and genetic parasites. The central result is that three host-nested parasite pairs are sufficient to create a stable, catalytic life cycle that enables homeostasis and adaptation.

Full summary

258 CHARS

The study presents a theoretical model investigating the energetic and replicative conditions for primordial life, specifically the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA). This cycle efficiently captures and transforms energy, promoting dynamic host survival.

STUDY TYPE

other

SPECIALTY

preclinical research

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

FIDELITY CHECK

100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10042343

Energy-harnessing problem solving of primordial life: Modeling the emergence of catalytic host-nested parasite life cycles

PLOS ONE

READ THE FULL PAPER

ABSTRACT

Abstract All life forms on earth ultimately descended from a primordial population dubbed the last universal common ancestor or LUCA via Darwinian evolution. Extant living systems share two salient functional features, a metabolism extracting and transforming energy required for survival, and an evolvable, informational polymer–the genome–conferring heredity. Genome replication invariably generates essential and ubiquitous genetic parasites. Here we model the energetic, replicative conditions of LUCA-like organisms and their parasites, as well as adaptive problem solving of host-parasite pairs. We show using an adapted Lotka-Volterra frame-work that three host-parasite pairs–individually a unit of a host and a parasite that is itself parasitized, therefore a nested parasite pair–are sufficient for robust and stable homeostasis, forming a life cycle. This nested parasitism model includes competition and habitat restriction. Its catalytic life cycle efficiently captures, channels and transforms energy, enabling dynamic host survival and adaptation. We propose a Malthusian fitness model for a quasispecies evolving through a host-nested parasite life cycle with two core features, rapid replacement of degenerate parasites and increasing evolutionary stability of host-nested parasite units from one to three pairs.

CITATION EXPORT

Bernard Conrad, Christian Iseli, Magnus Pirovino et al.. Energy-harnessing problem solving of primordial life: Modeling the emergence of catalytic host-nested parasite life cycles. PLOS ONE. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0281661

AUTHORS

6 · 4 CENTRES

Bernard Conrad, Christian Iseli, Magnus Pirovino, Jordi Villà-Freixa, Jordi Villà-Freixa, Jordi Villà-Freixa

1Genesupport, Lausanne, Switzerland
2Bioinformatics Competence Center, EPFL and Unil, Lausanne, Switzerland
3OPIRO Consulting Ltd, Triesen, Principality of Liechtenstein
4Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya, SPAIN