Reflections on the origin of the genetic code: a hypothesis. 1998

M Di Giulio
International Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, CNR, Via G. Marconi 10, 80125 Naples, Italy.

The origin of the organisation of the genetic code reflects both the biosynthetic relationships between amino acids and the physicochemical interactions between these and anticodons; moreover, these two forces do not act independently. It must therefore be explained why it is simultaneously true that the anticodons of product amino acids were assigned prior to their biosynthetic appearance and that physicochemical correlations must exist between anticodons and amino acids. This gives rise to difficulties of interpretation, even of a more general nature, in the theories that have been proposed to explain the origin of the genetic code; a hypothesis is thus presented in this manuscript. In particular, the hypothesis suggests that RNA hairpin structures, the ancestors of tRNAs, housing anticodon-like nucleotides in the stem were charged with precursor amino acids. As the precursor amino acids gradually developed into product amino acids, a coevolution came into being between the development of amino acids and that of anticodons, with a concomitant formation of the complete tRNA molecule thought direct duplication of the hairpin structures. All this led to the definition of the genetic code organisation. Furthermore, this made it possible for the evolving anticodons to select the emerging product amino acids, which the hypothesis therefore considers to be unspecified in the initial phase of genetic code evolution but which were selected also because of their ability to interact with anticodons. In this way the main obstacle to interpretation is removed. Fossils of these events can now be observed in some amino acid-modified nucleosides specifically located in the tRNA anticodon loops. This is all presented in the framework of a general discussion of the ideas and data in favour of a late origin of the genetic code, as opposed to an early origin in the context of the theories proposed to explain the origin of the genetic code organisation.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D005815 Genetic Code The meaning ascribed to the BASE SEQUENCE with respect to how it is translated into AMINO ACID SEQUENCE. The start, stop, and order of amino acids of a protein is specified by consecutive triplets of nucleotides called codons (CODON). Code, Genetic,Codes, Genetic,Genetic Codes
D000596 Amino Acids Organic compounds that generally contain an amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-COOH) group. Twenty alpha-amino acids are the subunits which are polymerized to form proteins. Amino Acid,Acid, Amino,Acids, Amino
D000926 Anticodon The sequential set of three nucleotides in TRANSFER RNA that interacts with its complement in MESSENGER RNA, the CODON, during translation in the ribosome. Anticodons
D012343 RNA, Transfer The small RNA molecules, 73-80 nucleotides long, that function during translation (TRANSLATION, GENETIC) to align AMINO ACIDS at the RIBOSOMES in a sequence determined by the mRNA (RNA, MESSENGER). There are about 30 different transfer RNAs. Each recognizes a specific CODON set on the mRNA through its own ANTICODON and as aminoacyl tRNAs (RNA, TRANSFER, AMINO ACYL), each carries a specific amino acid to the ribosome to add to the elongating peptide chains. Suppressor Transfer RNA,Transfer RNA,tRNA,RNA, Transfer, Suppressor,Transfer RNA, Suppressor,RNA, Suppressor Transfer
D019143 Evolution, Molecular The process of cumulative change at the level of DNA; RNA; and PROTEINS, over successive generations. Molecular Evolution,Genetic Evolution,Evolution, Genetic

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