TY - JOUR
T1 - Accelerated self-replication under non-equilibrium, periodic energy delivery
AU - Zhang, Rui
AU - Walker, David A.
AU - Grzybowski, Bartosz A.
AU - Olver De La Cruz, Monica
PY - 2014/1/3
Y1 - 2014/1/3
N2 - Self-replication is a remarkable phenomenon in nature that has fascinated scientists for decades. In a self-replicating system, the original units are attracted to a template, which induce their binding. In equilibrium, the energy required to disassemble the newly assembled copy from the mother template is supplied by thermal energy. The possibility of optimizing self-replication was explored by controlling the frequency at which energy is supplied to the system. A model system inspired by a class of light-switchable colloids was considered where light is used to control the interactions. Conditions under which self-replication can be significantly more effective under non-equilibrium, cyclic energy delivery than under equilibrium constant energy conditions were identified. Optimal self-replication does not require constant energy expenditure. Instead, the proper timing at which energy is delivered to the system is an essential controllable parameter to induce high replication rates. A finger on the pulse: The rate of self-replication can be significantly enhanced by delivering energy to the system in pulses rather than continuously. In other words, optimal self-replication does not necessarily require constant energetic expenditure; instead what matters is the timing with which energy is delivered to the system.
AB - Self-replication is a remarkable phenomenon in nature that has fascinated scientists for decades. In a self-replicating system, the original units are attracted to a template, which induce their binding. In equilibrium, the energy required to disassemble the newly assembled copy from the mother template is supplied by thermal energy. The possibility of optimizing self-replication was explored by controlling the frequency at which energy is supplied to the system. A model system inspired by a class of light-switchable colloids was considered where light is used to control the interactions. Conditions under which self-replication can be significantly more effective under non-equilibrium, cyclic energy delivery than under equilibrium constant energy conditions were identified. Optimal self-replication does not require constant energy expenditure. Instead, the proper timing at which energy is delivered to the system is an essential controllable parameter to induce high replication rates. A finger on the pulse: The rate of self-replication can be significantly enhanced by delivering energy to the system in pulses rather than continuously. In other words, optimal self-replication does not necessarily require constant energetic expenditure; instead what matters is the timing with which energy is delivered to the system.
KW - colloids
KW - kinetic Monte Carlo simulations
KW - light switchable systems
KW - non-equilibrium
KW - self-replication
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U2 - 10.1002/anie.201307339
DO - 10.1002/anie.201307339
M3 - Article
C2 - 24243626
AN - SCOPUS:84890938322
VL - 53
SP - 173
EP - 177
JO - Angewandte Chemie - International Edition
JF - Angewandte Chemie - International Edition
SN - 1433-7851
IS - 1
ER -