Speaker
Prof.
Maurizio Serva
(University of Rio Grande do Norte - Brazil)
Description
Compartmentalization of self-replicating molecules
(templates) in protocells is a necessary step towards the
evolution of modern cells. However, coexistence between
distinct template types inside a protocell can be achieved
only if there is a selective pressure favoring protocells
with a mixed template composition. Here we study
analytically a group selection model for the coexistence
between two template types using the diffusion approximation
of population genetics. The model combines competition at
the template and protocell levels as well as genetic drift
inside protocells. At the steady state, we find a continuous
phase transition separating the coexistence and segregation
regimes, with the order parameter vanishing linearly with
the distance to the critical point. In addition, we derive
explicit analytical expressions for the critical
steady-state probability density of protocell compositions.
Primary author
Prof.
Maurizio Serva
(University of Rio Grande do Norte - Brazil)
