Rethinking quasispecies theory: From fittest type to cooperative consortia

Figure 1 Self-generating RNA-stem-loop innovations: Generation of diversity (innovation) is shown. This is different from errors (accident, damage). Red arrow denotes diverse products from central template by low fidelity replication. Bulges and triangles denote changes.

Figure 2 Crucial difference of quasispecies consortia with former quasispecies-concepts (fittest type-mutant spectra) is the basically consortial organisation of functional RNA ensembles. Shown above are the possible consortial interactions (black arrows) of just one the diversified RNA-stem-loops. These multiple activities (shown as +/-) preclude individual fitness definitions but require emergence and adaptation of group membership-identities. Defectives with similar subviral RNA-(stem-loop) groups remain relevant in both evolutionary and developmental processes. As a result of this basic evolutionary process of RNA stem-loop consortia building we can look at the emergence of de novo identities. QS-C: Quasispecies consortia.