Rate-Distortion Scenario for the Emergence and Evolution of Noisy Molecular Codes

The fitness of molecular codes is discussed, in terms of rate-distortion theory, as the problem of designing an optimal information channel, and it is suggested that the emergence and evolution of molecular code may be explained by simple channel design considerations.

Abstract

We discuss, in terms of rate-distortion theory, the fitness of molecular codes as the problem of designing an optimal information channel. The fitness is governed by an interplay between the cost and quality of the channel, which induces smoothness in the code. By incorporating this code fitness into population dynamics models, we suggest that the emergence and evolution of molecular codes may be explained by simple channel design considerations.