The Information-Energy Phase Transition Theory: A Tiered Framework for Lifes Emergence from Simple to Complex Replicators

The Information-Energy Phase Transition Theory: A Tiered Framework for Lifes Emergence from Simple to Complex Replicators | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The Information-Energy Phase Transition Theory: A Tiered Framework for Lifes Emergence from Simple to Complex Replicators SYED HASSAN MASOOM ALAM SHAH This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8065891/v2 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Abstract Life’s emergence from prebiotic chemistry represents one of the most profound organi- zational transitions in the universe. We present the Information-Energy Phase Transition (IEPT) theory, which frames abiogenesis as a non-equilibrium thermodynamic phase transi- tion analogous to percolation phenomena, occurring when sustained energy flux, molecular complexity, and information storage capacity simultaneously exceed critical thresholds. This comprehensively revised framework resolves the “initial replicator problem” through a tiered evolutionary architecture, progressing from simple self-ligating RNAs (Tier 1: 30- 85 nucleotides, Etotal ≈ 800-1500 kJ mol−1) to complex polymerase ribozymes (Tier 2: 165 nucleotides, Etotal ≈ 2100-2400 kJ mol−1). For Tier 1 systems, we calculate achievable internal nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) concentrations of 0.5-1.0 mM within prebiotic vesi- cles through parallel geochemical concentration networks operating over 20-45 days. Tier 2 systems require 1.5-2.5 mM, achievable through scaffolded evolution following the initial transition. We rigorously ground the theory in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, deriving the phase transition criterion from fluctuation theorems and connecting it explicitly to dissi- pative adaptation. Energy components are validated through comparative crystallographic analysis, kinetic proofreading theory, and empirical calorimetric measurements. The theory incorporates realistic competitive inhibition factors (fcomp = 0.05-0.15) and continuous NTP regeneration via prebiotically plausible phosphorylation mechanisms. Stochastic simulations across multiple polymer lengths reveal universal critical scaling with exponent β = 0.40 ± 0.04, matching the three-dimensional percolation universality class (βperc = 0.41). We formalize this connection through a rigorous mapping to perco- lation on high-dimensional hypercube graphs representing sequence space, demonstrating that replication involves the formation of connected networks of viable, mutually-catalytic sequences. Comprehensive experimental validation protocols combine isothermal titration calorime- try, differential scanning calorimetry, and deep sequencing-based informational order pa- rameters, with clear falsification criteria testable within three years. Alternative genetic polymers (peptide nucleic acids, threose nucleic acids) provide independent tests predicting 25-40% threshold reductions relative to RNA. IEPT transforms origin-of-life research from qualitative narrative into quantitative, fal- sifiable science by defining minimum environmental conditions necessary for spontaneous emergence of self-sustaining molecular organization, with direct applications to planetary habitability assessment and synthetic minimal cell design. Abiogenesis Information Thermodynamics Phase Transition Entropy Reduction Ribozyme Replication Energy Coupling Statistical Mechanics Self-Organization Prebiotic Chemistry Non-Equilibrium Systems Origin of Life Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Show more versions Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8065891","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":543310403,"identity":"03b83d64-a6b4-42ca-92c4-bbf0adb672cb","order_by":0,"name":"SYED HASSAN MASOOM ALAM SHAH","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABAUlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAygtw8DAfPzDxz82DAwSRGrhYWBgS2Oc2ZBGkhYeNWbOhsOEtZizH3/84ecOOx7+aWfYHjPuOJ/YP7v54AOGGptoXFose3LMJHvPJPNI3M49blx45nbijDvHkg0YjqXlNuBy2IEcNgbeNmYehtt5CdIz2G4nNtzIMZNgbDiMW8v5548//m2r55G/nWMgzcN2LnE+QS03EgykedsO8xjczjEDMg4kbiCs5Y2ZtGzbcR7D22nJhjPOJBtvvJGWbJCAzy/n0x9/fNtWLSd3O/nggw8VdrLzboAYNTY4tWAAR7DKBGKVg4A9KYpHwSgYBaNgZAAAp5RjBYdirs8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2924-2779","institution":"comsats","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"SYED","middleName":"HASSAN MASOOM ALAM","lastName":"SHAH","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-11-08 19:41:00","currentVersionCode":2,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":true,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":true},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8065891/v2","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8065891/v2","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":96245276,"identity":"ddb87006-de6e-4dad-bd35-e04147178600","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-19 07:20:15","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":674932,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ATieredFrameworkforLifesEmergencefromSimpletoComplexReplicators.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8065891/v2_covered_dc8d798a-7ec9-4085-a251-c731b4406959.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"The authors declare no competing interests.","formattedTitle":"The Information-Energy Phase Transition Theory: A Tiered Framework for Lifes Emergence from Simple to Complex Replicators","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"COMSATS University Islamabad","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Abiogenesis, Information Thermodynamics, Phase Transition, Entropy Reduction, Ribozyme Replication, Energy Coupling, Statistical Mechanics, Self-Organization, Prebiotic Chemistry, Non-Equilibrium Systems, Origin of Life","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8065891/v2","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8065891/v2","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eLife’s emergence from prebiotic chemistry represents one of the most profound organi- zational transitions in the universe. We present the Information-Energy Phase Transition (IEPT) theory, which frames abiogenesis as a non-equilibrium thermodynamic phase transi- tion analogous to percolation phenomena, occurring when sustained energy flux, molecular complexity, and information storage capacity simultaneously exceed critical thresholds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis comprehensively revised framework resolves the “initial replicator problem” through a tiered evolutionary architecture, progressing from simple self-ligating RNAs (Tier 1: 30- 85 nucleotides, Etotal ≈ 800-1500 kJ mol−1) to complex polymerase ribozymes (Tier 2: 165 nucleotides, Etotal ≈ 2100-2400 kJ mol−1). For Tier 1 systems, we calculate achievable internal nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) concentrations of 0.5-1.0 mM within prebiotic vesi- cles through parallel geochemical concentration networks operating over 20-45 days. Tier 2 systems require 1.5-2.5 mM, achievable through scaffolded evolution following the initial transition.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe rigorously ground the theory in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, deriving the phase transition criterion from fluctuation theorems and connecting it explicitly to dissi- pative adaptation. Energy components are validated through comparative crystallographic analysis, kinetic proofreading theory, and empirical calorimetric measurements. The theory incorporates realistic competitive inhibition factors (fcomp = 0.05-0.15) and continuous NTP regeneration via prebiotically plausible phosphorylation mechanisms.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStochastic simulations across multiple polymer lengths reveal universal critical scaling with exponent β = 0.40 ± 0.04, matching the three-dimensional percolation universality class (βperc = 0.41). We formalize this connection through a rigorous mapping to perco- lation on high-dimensional hypercube graphs representing sequence space, demonstrating that replication involves the formation of connected networks of viable, mutually-catalytic sequences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComprehensive experimental validation protocols combine isothermal titration calorime- try, differential scanning calorimetry, and deep sequencing-based informational order pa- rameters, with clear falsification criteria testable within three years. Alternative genetic polymers (peptide nucleic acids, threose nucleic acids) provide independent tests predicting 25-40% threshold reductions relative to RNA.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIEPT transforms origin-of-life research from qualitative narrative into quantitative, fal- sifiable science by defining minimum environmental conditions necessary for spontaneous emergence of self-sustaining molecular organization, with direct applications to planetary habitability assessment and synthetic minimal cell design.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The Information-Energy Phase Transition Theory: A Tiered Framework for Lifes Emergence from Simple to Complex Replicators","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":2,"date":"2025-11-14 20:58:50","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8065891/v2","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}},{"code":1,"date":"2025-11-11 12:06:10","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8065891/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"36f61744-df95-43f7-9a28-d5d528a67ec0","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 14th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-11-11T12:06:10+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-11-14 20:58:50","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v2","identity":"rs-8065891","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8065891","identity":"rs-8065891","version":["v2"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}