Transition to diversification by competition for multiple resources in catalytic reaction networks

BACKGROUND All life, including cells and artificial protocells, must integrate diverse molecules into a single unit in order to reproduce. Despite expected pressure to evolve a simple system with the fastest replication speed, the mechanism by which the use of a great variety of components, and the coexistence of diverse cell-types with different compositions are achieved is as yet unknown. RESULTS Here we show that coexistence of such diverse compositions and cell-types is the result of competitions for a variety of limited resources. We find that a transition to diversity occurs both in chemical compositions and in protocell types, as the resource supply is decreased, when the maximum inflow and consumption of resources are balanced. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that a simple physical principle of competition for a variety of limiting resources can be a strong driving force to diversify intracellular dynamics of a catalytic reaction network and to develop diverse protocell types in a primitive stage of life.