Coexistence vs collapse in transposon populations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a stochastic model to understand the dynamics of transposon ecosystems, revealing a transition from coexistence to collapse driven by replication rates, and predicts low replication rates in stable states.

Contribution

It provides a novel stochastic framework for analyzing transposon interactions and identifies key conditions leading to ecosystem stability or collapse.

Findings

Transition from coexistence to collapse occurs when replication exceeds parasitism.

Replication rates tend to be low in equilibrium, matching natural observations.

Model predicts critical thresholds for ecosystem stability.

Abstract

Transposons are small, self-replicating DNA sequences found in every branch of life. Often, one transposon will parasitize another, forming a tiny intracellular ecosystem. In some species these ecosystems thrive, while in others they go extinct, yet little is known about when or why this occurs. Here, we present a stochastic model for these ecosystems and discover a transition from stable coexistence to population collapse when the propensity for a transposon to replicate comes to exceed that of its parasites. Our model also predicts that replication rates should be low in equilibrium, which appears to be true of many transposons in nature.