Self-Organizing Algorithms Derived from RNA Interactions

We discuss algorithms based on the RNA interaction found in Nature. Molecular biology has reveiled that strands of RNA, besides being autocatalytic, can interact with each other. They play a double role of being information carriers and enzymes. The first role is realized by the 1-dimensional sequence of nucleotides on a strand of RNA, the second by the 3-dimensional form strands can assume under appropriate temperature and solvent conditions. We use this basic idea of having two alternative forms of the same sequence to propose a new Artificial Life algorithm. After a general introduction to the area we report our findings in a specific application studied recently: an algorithm which allows sequences of binary numbers to interact. We introduce folding methods to achieve 2-dimensional alternative forms of the sequences. Interactions between 1- and 2-dimensional forms of binary sequences generate new sequences, which compete with the original ones due to selection pressure. Starting from random sequences, replicating and self-replicating sequences are generated in considerable numbers. We follow the evolution of a number of sample simulations and analyse the resulting self-organising system.