Genetic code: aspects of organization.

A L Goldberg; R E Wittes

doi:10.1126/science.153.3734.420

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Genetic code: aspects of organization.

A L Goldberg·R E Wittes

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Abstract

The pattern of organization of the genetic code decreases to a minimum the phenotypic effects of mutation and of base-pairing errors in protein synthesis. Single base changes, especially transitions, usually cause either no amino acid change or the change to a chemically similar amino acid. The degree of degeneracy of the codons for an amino acid is correlated with their guanine-cytosine content. The code gives greater protection (by both degeneracy and guaninecytosine content of codons) to those amino acids that appear more frequently in proteins. Increased reliability of the protein-synthesis system afforded by this pattern of organization nay have determined the fitness of the present code.

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A L Goldberg, R E Wittes. 1966-07-22. Genetic code: aspects of organization.. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.153.3734.420

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