Summary
The level reached by the optimization of the polarity distances during the evolution of the genetic code was investigated. The results, although not conclusive, indicate that this optimization level is higher than the data reported in the literature. The results seem compatible with the reaching of an evolutionary minimum, with respect to the optimization of the polarity distances, by the genetic code during its formation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alff-Steinberger C (1969) The genetic code and error transmission. Proc. Natl Acad Sci USA 64:584–591
Barricelli NA (1977) On the origin and evolution of the genetic code. J Theor Biol 67:85–109
Bertman MO, Jungck JR (1978) Notices Am Math Soc 25A 174 (quoted in Junck 1978)
Crick FHC (1968) The origin of the genetic code. J Mol Biol 38:367–379
Di Giulio M (1989) Some aspects of the organization and evolution of the genetic code. J Mol Evol 29:191–201
Epstein CJ (1966) Role of the amino acid code and of selection for conformation in the evolution of proteins. Nature 210:25–28
Goldberg AL, Wittes RE (1966) Genetic code: aspects of organization. Science 153:420–424
Grantham R (1974) Amino acid difference formula to help explain protein evolution. Science 18:862–864
Jukes TH (1966) Molecules and evolution. Columbia University Press, New York
Jukes TH (1983) Evolution of the amino acid code: inference from mitochondrial codes. J Mol Evol 19:219–225
Jukes TH Holmquist R, Moise H (1975) Amino acid composition of proteins: selection against the genetic code. Science 189:50–51
Jungck JR (1978) The genetic code as a periodic table. J Mol Evol 11:211–224
Lagerkvist U (1980) Codon misreading: a restriction operative in the evolution of the genetic code. Am Sci 68:192–198
Sjostrom M, Wold S (1985) A multivariate study of the relationship between the genetic code and the physico-chemical properties of amino acids. J Mol Evol 22:272–277
Sonneborn TM (1965) In: Bryson V, Vogel RJ (eds) Evolving genes and proteins, Academic Press, New York, pp 377–397
Soto MA, Toha CJ (1985) A hardware interpreration of the evolution of the genetic code. BioSystems 18:209–215
Volkenstein MV (1966) The genetic code of protein structure. Biochim Biophys Acta 119:421–424
Weber AL, Lacey JC Jr (1978) Genetic code correlation: amino acids and their anticodon nucleotides. J Mol Evol 11:199–210
Woese CR, Durge SA, Durge DH, Kando M, Saxinger WC (1966a) On the fundamental nature and evolution of the genetic code. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 31:723–736
Woese CR, Dugre DH, Saxinger WC, Dugre SA (1966b) The molecular basis for the genetic code. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 55:966–974
Wong JTF (1975) A co-evolution theory of the genetic code. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 72:1909–1912
Wong JTF (1976) The evolution of a universal genetic code. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 73:2336–2340
Wong JTF (1980) Role of minimization of chemical distances between amino acids in the evolution of the genetic code. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:1083–1086
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Di Giulio, M. The extension reached by the minimization of the polarity distances during the evolution of the genetic code. J Mol Evol 29, 288–293 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02103616
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02103616