Publications on Autocatalytic Networks

Mike Steel


Disclaimer: The listing of papers on this webpage is for my own use. Some of these files are probably covered by publisher copyrights. Please ensure that your institution has the appropriate subscription before reading any of these .pdfs.


Links to popular articles on Autocatalytic Networks



- last updated March 27, 2023

  1. PDF coming soonHuson, D., Xavier, J. C., and Steel, M. (2023). Self-generating autocatalytic networks: structural results, algorithms, and their relevance to early biochemistry. Journal of the Royal Society Interface (in press). abstract
  2. Download PDFSteel, M. (2023). Interior operators and their relationship to autocatalytic networks. Acta Biotheoretica 71 (21). abstract
  3. Download PDFHordijk, W., Steel, M. and Kauffman, S. (2022). Autocatalytic sets arising in a combinatorial model of chemical evolution. Life 12(11), 1703. abstract
  4. PDF coming soonGabora, L., Beckage, N. and Steel, M. (2022). An autocatalytic network model of conceptual change. Topics in cognitive Science 14: 163-188, doi: 10.1111/tops.12583.
  5. PDF coming soonGabora, L. & Steel, M. (2022) From uncertainty to insight: An autocatalytic framework. In: Uncertainty: A Catalyst for Creativity, Learning and Development (Beghetto, R. & Jaeger, G., Eds.), 125-156, Berlin: Springer
  6. Download PDF Gabora, L and Steel, M. (2021). An evolutionary process without variation and selection. In press (J. Roy. Soc. Interface). BioRxiv. abstract
  7. Download PDFGabora, L. and Steel, M. (2020). A model of the transition to behavioral and cognitive modernity using reflexively autocatalytic networks. J. R. Soc. Interface.1720200545, doi: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0545. abstract
  8. Download PDF Kauffman, S. and Steel, M. (2021). The expected number of viable autocatalytic sets in chemical reaction systems. Artificial Life 27:1-14, doi: artl_a_00333. abstract
  9. Download PDFWeller-Davies, O., Steel, M. and Hein, J. (2021) Combinatorics of polymer-based models of early metabolism. SIAM Journal of Discrete Mathematics (in press). abstract
  10. Download PDFSteel, M., Xavier, J. C., and Huson, D. H. (2020). The structure of autocatalytic networks, with application to early biochemistry. J. Royal Society Interface, 17: 20200488. doi: 10.1098/rsif.2020.0488. abstract
  11. Download PDFSteel, M., Hordijk, W. and Kauffman, S. (2020). Dynamics of a birth-death process based on combinatorial innovation. J. Theor. Biol. 491: 110187. abstract
  12. Download PDFWeller-Davies, O., Steel, M. and Hein, J. (2020) Complexity results for autocatalytic network models. Mathematical Biosciences. 325(2020): 108365. abstract
  13. Download PDFGabora, L. and Steel, M. (2020). Modeling a cognitive transition at the origin of cultural evolution using autocatalytic networks. Cognitive Science. 44(9): e12878, doi: 10.1111/cogs.12878. abstract
  14. Download PDFXavier, J. C., Hordijk, W., Kauffman, S., Steel M. and Martin, W. F. (2020). Autocatalytic chemical networks at the origin of metabolism. Proc. Roy. Soc. B. 287: 20192377, doi: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2377. abstract
  15. Download PDFHordijk, W., Steel, M. and Kauffman, S. A. (2019). Molecular Diversity Required for the Formation of Autocatalytic Sets. Life 9: 23. abstract
  16. Download PDFSteel, M., Hordijk, W. and Xavier, J. C. (2019). Autocatalytic networks in biology: structural theory and algorithms. J. Royal Society Interface 16: 20180808. abstract
  17. Download PDFHordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2018). Autocatalytic networks at the basis of life's origin and organization. Life 8(4): 62. abstract
  18. Download PDF Steel, M. and Kauffman, S. (2018). A note on random catalytic branching processes. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 437 222-224. abstract
  19. Download PDF Hordijk, W., Steel, M. and Dittrich, P. (2018). Autocatalytic sets and chemical organizations: Modeling self-sustaining reaction networks at the origin of life. New Journal of Physics 20:015011. abstract
  20. Download PDFGabora, L. and Steel, M. (2017), Autocatalytic networks in cognition and the origin of culture. J. Theor. Biol. 431: 87-95. abstract
  21. Download PDF Hordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2017). Chasing the tail: The emergence of autocatalytic networks. Biosystems, 152:1-10. abstract
  22. Download PDF Hordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2016). Autocatalytic sets in polymer networks with variable catalysis distributions, J. Math. Chem., 54(10): 1997-2021. abstract
  23. Download PDF Hordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2016). Comment on "Tibor Gánti and Robert Rosen" by Athel Cornish-Bowden. J. Theor. Biol., 392: 122-123. introduction
  24. Download PDF Steel, M. (2015). Self-sustaining autocatalytic networks within open-ended reaction systems. Journal of Mathematical Chemistry, 53(8): 1687-1701. abstract
  25. Download PDFHordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2015). Autocatalytic sets and boundaries. J. Syst. Chem. 6:1. DOI 10.1186/s13322-014-0006-2. abstract
  26. Download PDFHordijk, W., Smith, J. I. and Steel, M. (2015). Algorithms for detecting and analysing autocatalytic sets. Algorithms in Molecular Biology 10: 15. abstract
  27. Download PDF Sousa, F.L., Hordijk, W., Steel, M. and Martin, W. (2015). Autocatalytic sets in E. coli metabolism. J. Syst. Chem. 6: 4. abstract
  28. Download PDFHordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2015). Conditions for evolvability of autocatalytic sets: a formal example and analysis. Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres 44(2): 111-124. abstract
  29. Download PDFSmith, J. I., Steel, M. and Hordijk, W. (2014). Autocatalytic sets in a partitioned biochemical network. Journal of Systems Chemistry 5: 2. abstract
  30. Download PDFHordijk, W., Wills, P. and Steel, M. (2013). Autocatalytic Sets and Biological Specificity. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology 76(1): 201-224. abstract
  31. Download PDFHordijk, W., Steel, M. and Kauffman. (2013). The origin of life, evolution, and functional organization. pp. 49-60 in Evolutionary Biology: Exobiology and Evolutionary Mechanisms Pierre Pontarotti (Editor), Springer. abstract
  32. Download PDFSteel, M., Hordijk, W., and Smith, J. (2013). Minimal autocatalytic networks. Journal of Theoretical Biology 332: 96-107. abstract
  33. Download PDFHordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2013). A formal model of autocatalytic sets emerging in an RNA replicator system. J. Systems Chemistry 4:3. abstract
  34. Download PDFHordijk, W., Steel, M. and Kauffman, S. (2012). The Structure of Autocatalytic Sets: Evolvability, Enablement, and Emergence. Acta Biotheoretica, 60: 379-392. abstract
  35. Download PDFHordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2012). Autocatalytic Sets Extended: Dynamics, Inhibition, and a Generalization. Journal of Systems Chemistry, 3:5 (in press). abstract
  36. Download PDFHordijk, W. and Steel, M. (2012). Predicting template-based catalysis rates in a simple catalytic reaction model. Journal of Theoretical Biology 295: 132-138. abstract
  37. Download PDFHordijk, W., Kauffman, S., and Steel, M. (2011). Required levels of catalysis for the emergence of autocatalytic sets in models of chemical reaction systems. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Special issue: Origin of Life 2011) 12: 3085-3101. abstract
  38. Download PDFHordijk, W., Hein, J. and Steel, M. (2010). Autocatalytic Sets and the Origin of Life, Entropy 12(7): 1733-1744. abstract
  39. Download PDFE. Mossel and M. Steel. (2005). Random biochemical networks and the probability of self-sustaining autocatalysis. Journal of Theoretical Biology 233(3), 327-336. abstract
  40. Download PDFW. Hordijk, and M. Steel. (2004). Detecting autocatalyctic, self-sustaining sets in chemical reaction systems. Journal of Theoretical Biology 227(4): 451-461. abstract
  41. Download PDFSteel, M. (2000). The emergence of a self-catalysing structure in abstract origin-of-life models. Applied Mathematics Letters 13 (3): 91-95. abstract