title: Exponential self-replication enabled through a fibre elongation/breakage mechanism.
abstract: Self-replicating molecules are likely to have played a central role in the origin of life. Most scenarios of Darwinian evolution at the molecular level require self-replicators capable of exponential growth, yet only very few exponential replicators have been reported to date and general design criteria for exponential replication are lacking. Here we show that a peptide-functionalized macrocyclic self-replicator exhibits exponential growth when subjected to mild agitation. The replicator self-assembles into elongated fibres of which the ends promote replication and fibre growth. Agitation results in breakage of the growing fibres, generating more fibre ends. Our data suggest a mechanism in which mechanical energy promotes the liberation of the replicator from the inactive self-assembled state, thereby overcoming self-inhibition that prevents the majority of self-replicating molecules developed to date from attaining exponential growth.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Systems Chemistry, Stratingh Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colomb-Delsuc
authors.affiliation: Centre for Systems Chemistry, Stratingh Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mattia
authors.affiliation: Centre for Systems Chemistry, Stratingh Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Sadownik
authors.affiliation: Centre for Systems Chemistry, Stratingh Institute, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sijbren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Otto
mesh_terms: D047028:Macrocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D000069497:Origin of Life; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D047028:Macrocyclic Compounds; D010455:Peptides