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Abstract mathematical molecular biology: II some relational consequences of the “one gene-one enzyme” hypothesis

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Abstract

Following the program outlined in a previous paper (Bull. Math. Biophysics,23, 237–260, 1961), a further abstract study is made of some simple relational systems which possess some properties of living organisms. It is shown that the “one gene-one enzyme” hypothesis leads to the conclusion that either all genes are built of the same chemical building blocks, or that at least all genes have a number of building blocks in common. A consistent relational application of the “one gene-one enzyme” hypothesis leads moreover to the conclusion that replication is not an inherent property of a gene. Rather there must be a set of enzymes which “copy” the genes. The number of enzymes in this set must be less than the number of genes and therefore the activity of those “copying” enzymes cannot be absolutely specific.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Committee on Mathematical Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA

    N. Rashevsky

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  1. N. Rashevsky
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Rashevsky, N. Abstract mathematical molecular biology: II some relational consequences of the “one gene-one enzyme” hypothesis. Bulletin of Mathematical Biophysics 24, 327–334 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02477963

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02477963

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