Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Molecular evolution as a process of message refinement

  • Published:
Journal of Molecular Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Amino acid sequences are often said to code for proteins. Taking that statement literally, we propose a methodology in which protein sequences appear as messages and as such are amenable to the techniques of signal analysis. Not only does this view of amino acid sequences as messages appear to be tenable, but the clarity of expression of these sequences seems to increase, i.e., the noisiness decreases, consonant with notions of ascendancy in the hierarchy of morphological taxonomy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bingham, C., Godfrey, M.D., Tukey, J.W. (1967). IEEE Trans.on Audio and Electroacoustics AU-15-2, 56

  • Christensen, R.A. (1967). Technical Report No.20. Berkeley: University of California Computation Center

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, R.A. (1973). Proc.IEEE Int.Conf.Cybernetics and Society, IEEE SMC, 73 COH 799-7-SMC, 321

  • Christensen, R.A. (1975). Inf.Proc.Let. 4, 73

    Google Scholar 

  • Dayhoff, M.O. (1972). Atlas of protein sequence and structure, Vol. 5. Silver Spring, Maryland: The Natl.Biomedical Research Foundation

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickerson, R.E. (1972). Sci.Am. 226, 58

    Google Scholar 

  • Fitch, W.M., Margoliash, E. (1967). Science 155, 279

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatlin, L.L. (1966). J.Theoret.Biol. 10, 281

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatlin, L.L. (1968). J.Theoret.Biol. 18, 181

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatlin, L.L. (1972a). Math.BioSci. 13, 213

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatlin, L.L. (1972b). Information theory and the living system. New York: Columbia University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimura, M. (1968). Nature 217, 624

    Google Scholar 

  • King, J.L., Jukes, T.H. (1969). Science 164, 788

    Google Scholar 

  • Papoulis, A. (1962). The Fourier integral and its applications, p. 27. New York: McGraw Hill

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichert, T.A., Wong, A.K.C. (1971). J.Mol.Evol. 1, 97

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichert, T.A., Yu, J.M. (1974). Technical Report No. 74-003. Pittsburgh: Carnegie-Mellon University Biotechnology Program

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T.F. (1969). Math.BioSci. 4, 179

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolman, R.C. (1938). The principles of statistical mechanics, Chapter VII, Section 53. Oxford: Oxford University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmermann, J.M., Eliezer, N., Simha, R. (1968). J.Theoret.Biol. 21, 170

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering and Biotechnology Program, Carnegie-Mellon University, 15213, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA

    Thomas A. Reichert, Joseph M. C. Yu & Ronald A. Christensen

Authors
  1. Thomas A. Reichert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Joseph M. C. Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ronald A. Christensen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Reichert, T.A., Yu, J.M.C. & Christensen, R.A. Molecular evolution as a process of message refinement. J Mol Evol 8, 41–54 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01738881

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01738881

Key words

Search

Navigation