Force for ancient and recent life: viral and stem-loop RNA consortia promote life.
Lytic viruses were thought to kill the most numerous host (i.e., kill the winner). But persisting viruses/defectives can also protect against viruses, especially in a ubiquitous virosphere. In 1991, Yarmolinsky et al. discovered the addiction modules of P1 phage, in which opposing toxic and protective functions stabilize persistence. Subsequently, I proposed that lytic and persisting cryptic virus also provide addiction modules that promote group identity. In eukaryotes (and the RNA world), a distinct RNA virus-host relationship exists. Retrovirurses/retroposons are major contributors to eukaryotic genomes. Eukaryotic complexity appears to be mostly mediated by regulatory complexity involving noncoding retroposon-derived RNA. RNA viruses evolve via quasispecies, which contain cooperating, minority, and even opposing RNA types. Quasispecies can also demonstrate group preclusion (e.g., hepatitis C). Stem-loop RNA domains are found in long terminal repeats (and viral RNA) and mediate viral regulation/identity. Thus, stem-loop RNAs may be ancestral regulators. I consider the RNA (ribozyme) world scenario from the perspective of addiction modules and cooperating quasispecies (i.e., subfunctional agents that establish group identity). Such an RNA collective resembles a "gang" but requires the simultaneous emergence of endonuclease, ligase, cooperative catalysis, group identity, and history markers (RNA). I call such a collective a gangen (pathway to gang) needed for life to emerge.
Center for Virus Research, University of California, Irvine, California.
Luis P
LP
Villarreal
D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D000069497:Origin of Life; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012328:RNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012313:RNA
cooperatively; evolution; gangen; group selection; origin of life; virus