The selfish ribosome
2026/02/26 by Mart Krupovic, Eugene V. Koonin · 7 voices · 1 citation
#q-bio.PE
paper · pdf
Abstract
The ribosome is responsible for protein synthesis in all cells, and is the largest energy consumer in the cell. We propose that the ribosome originated as a mutualistic symbiont of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase ribozyme, supplying peptides that enhanced replication. As life transitioned from the RNA to the RNA-protein world, autonomous replicators became irreversibly addicted to the ribosome for producing replication proteins. Subsequent evolution is construed as a ribosomal takeover, whereby the ribosome evolved to consume most of the resources of the cell, while other cellular componentry ensured the propagation of the ribosome. Under this perspective, the ribosome is the ultimate biological selfish element.
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Discussions
- With Eugene Koonin, we propose a concept of “the selfish ribosome”, under which evolution of life is viewed as a ribosomal takeover, where the ribosome evolved to consume most of the cell’s resources, [bsky, 250 points, 5 comments]
- Ribosome centric perspective on the evolution of life. @mkrupovic.bsky.social and Eugene Koonin arxiv.org/abs/2602.23268 [bsky, 19 points, 0 comments]
- On #ribosome addiction and early life 🌌 arxiv.org/abs/2602.23268 by @mkrupovic.bsky.social [bsky, 5 points, 0 comments]
- arxiv.org/abs/2602.23268 Like! [bsky, 3 points, 0 comments]
- The selfish ribosome https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.23268 [bsky, 2 points, 0 comments]
- The selfish ribosome arxiv.org/pdf/2602.23268 #🧪 [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
- Now Eugene Koonin adds his 2 cents: arxiv.org/abs/2602.23268 [bsky, 1 points, 0 comments]
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