RNA Self-Replication’s Minimal Unit and Evolutionary Potential: Synergistic Optimization of Error Rate and Sequence Length

ial shaping the leap from inorganic to biological systems. This study employs mathemat?ical modeling to analyze the formation probability, replication capacity, and mutation-driven evolution of single nucleotides and short RNA chains (2–20 nucleotides). Results reveal that 5–20 nucleotides represent the optimal length for initial self-replication, with mutation rates of 0.5%–5% per site generating sufficient diversity (1012–1014 variants daily) while staying below the error catastrophe threshold (1/L). Reverse validation confirms 20 nucleotides as an ideal length, offering 10–50-fold growth potential (to 200–1000 nucleotides), laying the foundation for metabolic networks and protocells. This process, initiated by random colli?sions and refined by mutation and selection, elucidates a quantifiable mechanism for life’s evolution.