replikoid
A replikoid is a hypothetical biological entity that is capable of self-replication without the need for genetic material. The term was coined by biologist Jack W. Szostak in 2002 to describe a theoretical organism that could replicate itself using a non-genetic template. Unlike traditional organisms that rely on DNA or RNA for replication, replikoids would use a different mechanism, such as a self-assembling protein scaffold or a synthetic polymer.
The concept of replikoids is significant in the field of synthetic biology and origin-of-life research. They
However, the existence of replikoids remains purely speculative. Despite extensive research, no concrete evidence of such