Order and Complexity in the RNA World

Abstract

The basic idea of the RNA world as an early step towards life relies on a molecular evolution process based on self-replicating RNA strands. It is probably the oldest and most convincing model for efficient prebiotic evolution. Obviously, the functionality of RNA sequences depends on order (i.e., the definition of their sequence) as well as on complexity (i.e., the length of their sequence). Order and complexity seem to be crucial parameters in the course of RNA evolution. In the following, an attempt is made to define these parameters and to identify characteristic mechanisms of their development. Using a general RNA world scenario including the free monomer units, the sequential order is defined based on statistical thermodynamics. The complexity, on the other hand, is determined by the size of a minimal algorithm fully describing the system. Under these conditions, a diagonal line in an order/complexity-diagram represents the progress of molecular evolution. Elementary steps such as repeated random polymerization and selection follow characteristic pathways and finally add up to a state of high system functionality. Furthermore, the model yields a thermodynamic perspective on molecular evolution, as the development of a defined polymer sequence has a distinct influence on the entropy of the overall system.