GAUSSIAN RANDOM ENERGY-MODEL AND DYSONS MODEL FOR THE ORIGIN OF METABOLISM

The equivalence between Dyson's model for a population of prebiotic mu tually catalytic molecules and the Gaussian random energy model is est ablished. It is shown that, within the mean field approximation, the m athematical expression for the function that describes the autocatalyt ic capability of the whole system is completely determined by the natu re of the interaction potential (or the force, field) between the mono mers. Our results along with those previously obtained by Abbott [J. M ol. Evol. 27, 513 (1988)] on the replication of an autocatalytic syste m lead us to suggest that spin-glass theory is an appropriate model fo r the investigation of the origins of both metabolism and replication.