Dynamic Self-organization in an Open Reaction Network as a Fundamental Principle for the Emergence of Life

The emergence of life on Earth has attracted intense attention but remains unclear. A key problem is that the question of how living organisms can exhibit self-organizing ability that leads to highly ordered structures and active free independent behavior remains unanswered. This work reveals, by computer simulation and experiments, that a stationary or near-stationary state of an open reaction network (ORN) demonstrates such self-organizing ability. Reaction and diffusion processes are always forced toward equilibrium and consequently, a stationary state of an ORN is firmly stabilized by these processes; specifically, it attains dynamic self-organization. A non-equilibrium stationary state also has a property of approaching equilibrium, or evolving toward a high-efficiency ordered system. Moreover, a stationary state can demonstrate free independent behavior. Thus, a stationary state of an ORN can be regarded as a precursor of primitive life, and dynamic self-organization in it provides a fundamental principle for the emergence of life.