Template-Triggered Emergence of a Self-Replicator from a Dynamic Combinatorial Library

Self-assembly of a specific member of a dynamic combinatorial library (DCL) may lead to self-replication of this molecule. However, if the concentration of the potential replicator in the DCL fails to exceed its critical aggregation concentration (CAC), then self-replication will not occur. We now show how addition of a template can raise the concentration of a library member–template complex beyond its CAC, leading to the onset of self-replication. Once in existence, the replicator aggregates promote further replication also in the absence of the template that induced the initial emergence of the replicator.