The Biological Big Bang Model for Evolution
Author Information
Author(s): Eugene V. Koonin
Primary Institution: National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Hypothesis
Most or all major evolutionary transitions that show the 'explosive' pattern of emergence of new types of biological entities correspond to a boundary between two qualitatively distinct evolutionary phases.
Conclusion
A Biological Big Bang (BBB) model is proposed for the major transitions in life's evolution, suggesting that new classes of biological entities emerge at the end of a rapid phase of evolution characterized by extensive genetic information exchange.
Supporting Evidence
- Major transitions in biological evolution show a pattern of sudden emergence of diverse forms at new levels of complexity.
- The model suggests that each transition is a Biological Big Bang (BBB) where new classes of biological entities emerge.
- The biphasic model of evolution incorporates previously developed concepts of the emergence of protein folds and the origin of viruses and cells.
- The analogy between biological transitions and cosmological Big Bang events is drawn to illustrate the nature of these transitions.
Takeaway
This study suggests that big changes in evolution happen in two steps: a fast, chaotic phase where lots of new life forms appear, followed by a slower phase where these forms settle into more stable types.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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