Evolution of mitochondrial genomes and the genetic code

Article Abstract:

The reductive evolution of the mitochondrial genome is correlated with its inability to support genetic recombination. Reductive evolution refers to the simplifications of animal mitochondrial translation systems such as the minimization of genes used by mitochondrial genomes to code for tRNA species. Codon reassignment confers selective advantage by reducing the undesirable effects of some mutational bias. Reductive evolution of mitochondrial genomes is driven by two forces affecting small populations: growth rate competition and Muller's ratchet.

author: Kurland, C. G.
Mitochondrial DNA, Population genetics

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Complementation in beta-galactosidase: from protein structure to genetic engineering

Article Abstract:

Studies on beta-galactosidase enzymes showed that it exhibits alpha, omega and beta complementations. Compared to wild-types, these complemented enzymes only minimally recovered their activity after renaturation suggesting the absence of the connecting part of their polypeptides. With guanidine denaturation, full recovery of the peptides occured after removal of guanidine. An alpha and a 40 kildodalton omega peptide are essential for these observed effects.

author: Ullmann, Agnes
Complementation (Genetics), Beta galactosidases

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Simultaneous origin of homochirality, the genetic code and its directionality

Article Abstract:

A novel experimentally testable hypothesis of a process by which selective chirality in amino acids and ribonucleotides emerged simultaneously and hand-in-hand with the origin and directionality of the genetic code within a system of interactions involving amino acids, peptides, nucleotide bases and their sugars and polynulceotides are presented.

author: Root-Bernstein, Robert
Analysis, Ribonucleotides, Amino acids

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subjects list: Research, Genetic code
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