rationalskepticism.org

byofrcs wrote:
That's the idea here. There probably are novel applications but for replication today we can just hijack bacteria.

Yes that is the idea, but the case you refer to involves substrates that are very complex to start with. It is a different matter to have a Replicator that can use simple molecules as its substrates. I'm thinking of such as what can be produced by Miller-Urey, or Volcanic Vents, or maybe even carbonaceous chondrites.