THE ROLE OF ACCURACY FOR EARLY STAGES OF THE ORIGIN OF LIFE

The role of accuracy in developing stages in the origin of life is inv estigated by mathematical models. Errors yield difficult stability pro blems in a description of a cooperative system with information-carrie rs (genes) and catalytic polymers (enzymes) that are related to each o ther. This problem is highly relevant for a proper understanding of th e RNA world. The model that is treated takes two relevant error effect s, which can be coupled, into account. One is the occurrence of parasi tes, inactive genes that are efficiently reproduced by the catalytic s upport of other polymers but which do not give rise to any catalytic a ctivity. The other is an error propagation due to the fact that errone ous catalysts will provide an increased error level and thus more erro neous catalysts which may lead to still increasing error levels, event ually an error catastophe.