THE DESIGN OF SELF-REPLICATING MOLECULES

The relevance of autocatalysis to the molecular origins of biological metabolism is discussed as well as important considerations for the de sign of 'self-replicating' molecules. Typically, the source of autocat alysis is the template effect. DNA has proved to be a remarkably usefu l system for autocatalysis. The design of extrabiotic replicators high lights the features that are required for successful self-replication: self-complementarity, low dimerization of products, separation of rea ctive centers in a pre-associative bimolecular complex and effective b inding in polar solvents.