Evolutionary acquisition of a mortal genetic program: The origin of an altruistic gene

  • Authors:
  • Tsutomu Oohashi;Tadao Maekawa;Osamu Ueno;Norie Kawai;Emi Nishina;Manabu Honda

  • Affiliations:
  • Foundation for Advancement of International Science;Yokkaichi University;National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry and CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency;Foundation for Advancement of International Science and Waseda University;Center of ICT and Distance Education, The Open University of Japan and The Graduate University for Advanced Studies;National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry and CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency

  • Venue:
  • Artificial Life
  • Year:
  • 2014

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Abstract

As part of our research on programmed self-decomposition, we formed the hypothesis that originally immortal terrestrial organisms evolve into ones that are programmed for autonomous death. We then conducted evolutionary simulation experiments in which we examined this hypothesis using an artificial ecosystem that we designed to resemble a terrestrial ecosystem endowed with artificial chemistry. Notable results corroborating our hypothesis were obtained, which showed that mortal organisms emerged from indigenous immortal organisms through mutation; such mortal organisms survived and left behind offspring, albeit very rarely, and, having survived, surpassed immortal organisms without exception. In this article, we report the details of the above findings and also discuss a background framework we previously constructed for approaching altruism.