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Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases as Clues to Establishment of the Genetic Code

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The Genetic Code and the Origin of Life

Abstract

Aminoaql-tRNA synthetases catalyze the specific aminoacylation of tRNAs with their cognate amino acids, thus establishing the rules of the genetic code. The enzymes are universally distributed, and their sequences and structures reveal that the majority of them were established by the time of the divergence of archaeal and bacterial organisms, over 3000 millions years ago.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA

    Lluís Ribas de Pouplana Ph.D. & Paul Schimmel

  2. Barcelona Science Park, ICREA and Barcelona Institute for Biomedical Research, Barcelona, Spain

    Lluís Ribas de Pouplana Ph.D.

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  1. Lluís Ribas de Pouplana Ph.D.
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Ribas de Pouplana, L., Schimmel, P. (2004). Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases as Clues to Establishment of the Genetic Code. In: The Genetic Code and the Origin of Life. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-26887-1_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-26887-1_8

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