Regensburg 2016 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 20: Posters - Molecular Dynamics

BP 20.2: Poster

Montag, 7. März 2016, 17:30–19:30, Poster C

Molecular Evolution — •Emanuel Gregor Worst¹, Philipp Zimmer², Eva Wollrab¹, Karsten Kruse², and Albrecht Ott¹ — ¹Saarland University, Biological Experimental Physics, Postfach 151150, 66041 Saarbrücken — ²Saarland University, Theoretical Biological Physics, Postfach 151150, 66041 Saarbrücken

From the origin of life Darwinian evolution has continuously led to new and different species that make up a highly complex biosphere. Reproduction in conjunction with variation leads to the permanent selection and emergence of new species. How Nature avoids an evolutionary stall and keeps on innovating remains poorly understood. Many aspects of Darwinian evolution have been described by experimental as well as theoretical approaches. However, a realization of Darwinian evolution on long time scales that does not end up in the selection of a single fittest evolutionary winner is still lacking. We introduce an experimental system that consists of linear DNA molecules of a given length that are able to reproduce in a template-directed way. Longer molecules emerge by spontaneous ligation. A DNA species is formed by DNA strands that feed on shorter strands and that eventually outcompete other existing DNA molecules. An evolutionary stall is avoided if these new species serve as a niche that future mutants feed upon. Our molecular evolutionary system is principally able to progress indefinitely.