Autocatalysis

Autocatalysis occurs in a (chemical) reaction, if the reaction product itself catalyzes further reactions. It is a form of catalysis in which one of the products of a reaction serves as a 
catalyst for the reaction. In chemistry and biology, 
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysis catalysis] is the acceleration 
the reaction rate of a chemical reaction by means of a substance, called a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalyst catalyst]
or [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme enzyme] (in biology). A catalyst accelerates, facilitates 
and enhances a bio-chemical reation. Nearly all biochemical processes are catalyzed by enzymes.

Autocatalysis describes a self-enhancing and self-amplifying reaction, and
is a special form of positive [[Feedback|feedback]]. An example of 
autocatalysis is the hypercycle, in which self-replicating entities or reations catalyze each other.
M. Eigen and P. Schuster proposed the model of hypercycles to explain the origin of the DNA through self-replicating molecules.

== Books ==

Manfred Eigen and Peter Schuster, ''The Hypercycle: A Principle of Natural Self Organization'', Springer-Verlag 1979, ISBN 0387092935

== References ==

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypercycle Wikipedia Hypercycle Entry]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autocatalysis Wikipedia Autocatalysis Entry]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalysis Wikipedia Catalysis Entry]
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalyst Wikipedia Catalyst Entry]

[[Category:Basic Principles]]