RECURSIVENESS AND EVOLVABILITY IN A MUTUALLY CATALYTIC REACTION SYSTEM

We discuss how recursive production of a proto-cell consisting of a mutually catalytic reaction network is possible. It is shown that a minority molecule species plays an essential role in carrying heredity, in the sense that the molecule is preserved well and controls replication of the cell. The cell state controlled by such a minority molecule is shown to have evolvability. Successive switches over quasi-recursive states are found, caused by extinction of minority molecules. Experimental demonstration of the theory is also discussed.