title: The origin of genetic information: viruses as models.
abstract: A living entity can be described as a complex adaptive system which differs from any, however complex, chemical structure by its capability of functional self-organization based on the processing of information. If one asks, where does this information come from and what is its primary semantics, the answer is: information generates itself in feedback loops via replication and selection, the objective being 'to be or not to be'. This paper describes the theoretical framework of information-generating systems and provides experimental clues for some basic forms of genetic organization, such as molecular quasi-species, hypercyclic and compartmentalized RNA-protein assemblies. The results are primarily obtained with RNA viruses and virus-like systems. The experiments are carried out with the help of automated, computer-controlled bioreactors, called 'evolution machines', that may form the basis of a new 'evolutionary biotechnology'.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eigen
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral