Abstract
The present paper will focus on the relation between the structure of the table of the genetic code and the evolution of primitive organisms: it will be shown that the organization of the code table according to an optimization principle based on the notion of resistance to errors can provide a criterium for selection. The ordered aspect of the genetic code table makes this result a plausible starting point for studies of the origin and evolution of the genetic code: these could include, besides a more refined optimization principle at the logical level, some effects more directly related to the physico-chemical context, and the construction of realistic models incorporating both aspects.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Alff-Steinberger, C.: 1969PNAS 64, 584.
Bertman, M. O. and Jungck, J. R.: 1979,J. Heredity 70, 379.
Cullmann, G. and Labouygues, J.M.: 1983,Biosystems 16, 9.
Danckwerts, H. J. and Neubert, D.: 1975,J. Mol. Evol. 5, 327.
Demetrius, L.: 1983,J. Theor. Biol. 103, 619.
Dunnill, P.: 1966,Nature 210, 1267.
Eigen, M. and Schuster, P.: 1977,Naturwissenschaften 64, 541.
Eigen, M. and Schuster, P.: 1978,Naturwissenschaften 65, 7.
Epstein, C. J.: 1966,Nature 210, 25.
Figureau, A.: 1987,Biologie Théorique, Solignac 1985, Ed. C.N.R.S., Paris.
Figureau, A.: 1986,Origins of Life 17, 439.
Figureau, A. and Labouygues, J. M.: 1981,Origin of Life, ed. Y. Wolman, D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht, p. 431.
Figureau, A. and Pouzet, M.: 1984,Origins of Life 14, 579.
Findley, G. C. and McGlynn, S. P.: 1979,Int. Jl. Quant. Chem.: Quantum Biology Symp. 6, 313.
Fitch, W. M.: 1966,J. Mol. Biol. 16, 1.
Goldberg, A. L. and Wittes, R. E.: 1966,Science 153, 420.
Hou, Y.-M. and Schimmel, P.: 1988,Nature 333, 140.
Jukes, T. H.: 1982,Biochem. Biophys. Res. Com. 107, 225.
Jungck, J. R.: 1978,J. Mol. Evol. 11, 211.
Karasev, V. A.: 1976,Vestn. Leningrad Univ., Biol. 3, 93.
Kurland, C. G. and Ehrenberg, M.: 1984,Progr. Nucl. Acid. Res. and Mol. Biol. 31, 191.
Labouygues, J. M. and Figureau, A.: 1984,Origins of Life 14, 685.
Lacey, J. C. Jr. and Pruitt, K. M.: 1969,Nature 223, 799.
Luo, L. F. and Li, Q. Z.: 1986,Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on the Origin of Life, Berkeley, California, U.S.A., July 21–25.
MacKay, A. L.: 1967,Nature 216, 159.
Nirenberg, M., Leder, P., Bernfield, M., Brimacombe, R., Trupin, J., Rottman, F., and O'Neal, C.: 1965,PNAS 53, 1161.
Pelc, S. R.: 1965,Nature 207, 597.
Root-Bernstein, R. S.: 1984,J. Theor. Biol. 94, 895.
Söll, D., Ohtsuka, E., Jones, D. S., Lohrmann, P., Hayatsu, H., Nishimura, S., and Khorana, H. G.: 1965,PNAS 54, 1378.
Sonneborn, T. M.: 1965,Evolving Genes and Proteins, Rutgers Symposium 1964, Eds. V. Bryson and H. Vogel, Academic Press, London, New York.
Swanson, R.: 1984,Bull. Math. Biol. 46, 187.
Tze-Fei-Wong, J.: 1975,PNAS 72, 1909.
Volkenstein, M. V.: 1965,Nature,207, 294.
Woese, C.: 1965,PNAS 54, 71.
Wolfenden, R. V., Cullis P. M., and Southgate, C. C. F.: 1979,Science 206, 575.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Figureau, A. Optimization and the genetic code. Origins Life Evol Biosphere 19, 57–67 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01808287
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01808287