Principles of Molecular Evolution: Concepts from Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics for the Multilevel Theory of Learning

• Published in: Journal of molecular evolution 2024-12, Vol.92 (6), p.703-719
• Main Author: Smiatek, Jens
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Biological activity; Biological effects; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Entropy; Equilibrium; Evolution; Evolution, Molecular; Evolutionary Biology; Gene transfer; Genes; Genotype & phenotype; Learning; Learning - physiology; Learning theory; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Models, Genetic; Molecular evolution; Mutation; Nonequilibrium thermodynamics; Open systems; Original; Original Article; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Sciences; Principles; Thermodynamics; Transfer learning
• ISSN: 0022-2844; 1432-1432; 1432-1432
• DOI: 10.1007/s00239-024-10195-8

We present a non-equilibrium thermodynamics approach to the multilevel theory of learning for the study of molecular evolution. This approach allows us to study the explicit time dependence of molecular evolutionary processes and their impact on entropy production. Interpreting the mathematical expressions, we can show that two main contributions affect entropy production of molecular evolution processes which can be identified as mutation and gene transfer effects. Accordingly, our results show that the optimal adaptation of organisms to external conditions in the context of evolutionary processes is driven by principles of minimum entropy production. Such results can also be interpreted as the basis of some previous postulates of the theory of learning. Although our macroscopic approach requires certain simplifications, it allows us to interpret molecular evolutionary processes using thermodynamic descriptions with reference to well-known biological processes.