Translation by adaptor-helicase cycle in oligomer world

TL;DR

This paper proposes a primitive translation mechanism in oligomer world using adaptors and helicases, demonstrating through simulation that proofreading can occur despite low-efficiency molecular machines, suggesting a plausible early cellular process.

Contribution

It introduces a novel translation cycle involving adaptors and helicases in oligomer world, supported by computer simulations showing proofreading via fluctuations.

Findings

Proofreading is achieved through cellular fluctuations.

The proposed cycle could have operated in primitive cells.

In vitro construction of the cycle is feasible.

Abstract

A mechanism of the translation in oligomer world is proposed. The translation is carried out by a minimum cycle, which is sustained by adaptors and helicases, and the first information processing in oligomer world. We expect that such a cycle actually worked in a primitive cell and can be constructed in vitro. By computer simulation we have shown that a proofreading is achieved by the fluctuation in the cell. It is rather paradoxical that the proofreading is effective for the system consisting of molecular machines with low efficiency.