Models for the conservation of genetic information with string-based artificial chemistry

Abstract

A model of artificial chemistry in which both genotypic and phenotypic strings mingle together and react with each other is presented. A cell that includes a string set for the replication and translation of genetic information is designed on this system, and the cells are reproduced by cell division cycles. From experiments that emulate cell selection, it is shown that a complete set of genes constituting the designed system can be stably transmitted to the offspring cells if they are put into a long single chromosome or the gene replication is strictly regulated and the replicated genes are transferred to the two daughter cells by a spindle.