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{{Short description|Rules by which information encoded within genetic material is translated into proteins}}
{{redirect|Codon|the plant genus|Codon (genus)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
[[File:RNA-codons.png|thumb|A series of chinky in part of a [[messenger RNA]] (mRNA) molecule. Each codon consists of three [[nucleotide]]s, usually corresponding to a single [[amino acid]]. The nucleotides are abbreviated with the letters A, U, G and C. This is mRNA, which uses U ([[uracil]]). DNA uses T ([[thymine]]) instead. This mRNA molecule will instruct a [[ribosome]] to synthesize a protein according to this code.]]
[[File:RNA-codon.svg|thumb|A series of codons in part of a [[messenger RNA]] (mRNA) molecule. Each codon consists of three [[nucleotide]]s, usually corresponding to a single [[amino acid]]. The nucleotides are abbreviated with the letters A, U, G and C. This is mRNA, which uses U ([[uracil]]). DNA uses T ([[thymine]]) instead. This mRNA molecule will instruct a [[ribosome]] to synthesize a protein according to this code.]]
The '''genetic code''' is the set of rules used by living [[cell (biology)|cells]] to [[Translation (biology)|translate]] information encoded within genetic material ([[DNA]] or [[RNA]] sequences of nucleotide triplets, or [[codon]]s) into [[protein]]s. Translation is accomplished by the [[ribosome]], which links [[proteinogenic amino acid]]s in an order specified by [[messenger RNA]] (mRNA), using [[transfer RNA]] (tRNA) molecules to carry amino acids and to read the mRNA three [[nucleotide]]s at a time. The genetic code is highly similar among all organisms and can be expressed in a simple table with 64 entries.


The codons specify which amino acid will be added next during [[protein biosynthesis]]. With some exceptions,<ref name="pmid19131629">{{cite journal | vauthors = Turanov AA, Lobanov AV, Fomenko DE, Morrison HG, Sogin ML, Klobutcher LA, Hatfield DL, Gladyshev VN | title = Genetic code supports targeted insertion of two amino acids by one codon | journal = Science | volume = 323 | issue = 5911 | pages = 259–61 | date = Jan 2009 | pmid = 19131629 | pmc = 3088105 | doi = 10.1126/science.1164748 }}</ref> a three-nucleotide codon in a nucleic acid sequence specifies a single amino acid. The vast majority of [[gene]]s are encoded with a single scheme (see the [[Codon tables|RNA codon table]]). That scheme is often referred to as the canonical or standard genetic code, or simply ''the'' genetic code, though [[#Variations|variant codes]] (such as in [[mitochondrion|mitochondria]]) exist.
The '''genetic code''' is the set of rules by which information encoded within genetic material ([[DNA]] or [[mRNA]] sequences) is [[translation (genetics)|translated]] into [[protein]]s by living [[cell (biology)|cells]]. Biological decoding is accomplished by the [[ribosome]], which links [[amino acids]] in an order specified by mRNA, using [[transfer RNA]] (tRNA) molecules to carry amino acids and to read the mRNA three [[nucleotides]] at a time. The genetic code is highly similar among all organisms and can be expressed in a simple table with 64 entries.


==History==
The code defines how sequences of these nucleotide triplets, called ''codons'', specify which amino acid will be added next during [[protein synthesis]]. With some exceptions,<ref name="pmid19131629">{{cite journal | author = Turanov AA, Lobanov AV, Fomenko DE, Morrison HG, Sogin ML, Klobutcher LA, Hatfield DL, Gladyshev VN | title = Genetic code supports targeted insertion of two amino acids by one codon | journal = Science | volume = 323 | issue = 5911 | pages = 259–61 | date = January 2009 | pmid = 19131629 | pmc = 3088105 | doi = 10.1126/science.1164748 }}</ref> a three-nucleotide codon in a nucleic acid sequence specifies a single amino acid. Because the vast majority of [[gene]]s are encoded with exactly the same code (see the [[#RNA codon table|RNA codon table]]), this particular code is often referred to as the canonical or standard genetic code, or simply ''the'' genetic code, though in fact some [[#Variations to the standard genetic code|variant codes]] have evolved. For example, protein synthesis in human [[mitochondrion|mitochondria]] relies on a genetic code that differs from the standard genetic code.
[[File:GeneticCode21-version-2.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|The genetic code]]{{Further|Adaptor hypothesis}}
Efforts to understand how proteins are encoded began after [[Nucleic acid double helix|DNA's structure]] was discovered in 1953. The key discoverers, English biophysicist [[Francis Crick]] and American biologist [[James Watson]], working together at the [[Cavendish Laboratory]] of the University of Cambridge, hypothesied that information flows from DNA and that there is a link between DNA and proteins.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Watson |first1=J. D. |last2=Crick |first2=F. H. |date=1953-05-30 |title=Genetical implications of the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/13063483 |journal=Nature |volume=171 |issue=4361 |pages=964–967 |doi=10.1038/171964b0 |issn=0028-0836 |pmid=13063483 |bibcode=1953Natur.171..964W |s2cid=4256010}}</ref> Soviet-American physicist [[George Gamow]] was the first to give a workable scheme for protein synthesis from DNA.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Stegmann |first=Ulrich E. |date=2016-09-01 |title='Genetic Coding' Reconsidered: An Analysis of Actual Usage |journal=The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science |language=en |volume=67 |issue=3 |pages=707–730 |doi=10.1093/bjps/axv007 |issn=0007-0882 |pmc=4990703 |pmid=27924115}}</ref> He postulated that sets of three bases (triplets) must be employed to encode the 20 standard amino acids used by living cells to build proteins, which would allow a maximum of {{nowrap|4{{smallsup|3}} {{=}} 64}} amino acids.<ref name="isbn0-465-09138-5">{{cite book|first=Francis|last=Crick|title=What Mad Pursuit: A Personal View of Scientific Discovery|authorlink=Francis Crick|chapter-url={{google books|plainurl=y |id=awoXBQAAQBAJ|page=89}}|date=10 July 1990|publisher=Basic Books|oclc=1020240407|pages=89–101|isbn=9780465091386|chapter=Chapter 8: The Genetic Code}}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He named this DNA–protein interaction (the original genetic code) as the "diamond code".<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last=Hayes |first=Brian |date=1998 |title=Computing Science: The Invention of the Genetic Code |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27856930 |journal=American Scientist |volume=86 |issue=1 |pages=8–14 |doi=10.1511/1998.17.3338 |jstor=27856930 |s2cid=121907709 |issn=0003-0996}}</ref>


In 1954, Gamow created an informal scientific organisation the [[RNA Tie Club]], as suggested by Watson, for scientists of different persuasions who were interested in how [[Translation (biology)|proteins were synthesised]] from genes. However, the club could have only 20 permanent members to represent each of the 20 amino acids; and four additional honorary members to represent the four nucleotides of DNA.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last=Strauss |first=Bernard S |date=2019-03-01 |title=Martynas Yčas: The "Archivist" of the RNA Tie Club |url=https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.118.301754 |journal=Genetics |volume=211 |issue=3 |pages=789–795 |doi=10.1534/genetics.118.301754 |issn=1943-2631 |pmc=6404253 |pmid=30846543}}</ref>
While the genetic code determines the protein sequence for a given coding region, other genomic regions can influence [[Regulation of gene expression|when and where these proteins are produced]].


The first scientific contribution of the club, later recorded as "one of the most important unpublished articles in the history of science"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Francis Crick - Profiles in Science Search Results |url=https://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/spotlight/sc/catalog?f%5breadonly_nlm-id_ssim%5d%5b%5d=101584582X73 |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=profiles.nlm.nih.gov}}</ref> and "the most famous unpublished paper in the annals of molecular biology",<ref name="auto">{{Cite journal |last=Fry |first=Michael |date=2022 |title=Crick's Adaptor Hypothesis and the Discovery of Transfer RNA: Experiment Surpassing Theoretical Prediction |url=https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/ptpbio/article/id/2628/ |journal=Philosophy, Theory, and Practice in Biology |volume=14 |doi=10.3998/ptpbio.2628 |issn=2475-3025 |s2cid=249112573|doi-access=free }}</ref> was made by Crick. Crick presented a type-written paper titled "On Degenerate Templates and the Adaptor Hypothesis: A Note for the RNA Tie Club"<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Crick |first=Francis |date=1955 |title=On Degenerate Templates and the Adaptor Hypothesis: A Note for the RNA Tie Club |url=https://collections.nlm.nih.gov/catalog/nlm:nlmuid-101584582X73-doc |access-date=2022-07-21 |website=National Library of Medicine}}</ref> to the members of the club in January 1955, which "totally changed the way we thought about protein synthesis", as Watson recalled.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Watson |first=James D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mav7RvFfjDkC |title=Avoid Boring People: Lessons from a Life in Science |date=2007 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-280273-6 |pages=112 |language=en |oclc=47716375}}</ref> The hypothesis states that the triplet code was not passed on to amino acids as Gamow thought, but carried by a different molecule, an adaptor, that interacts with amino acids.<ref name="auto"/> The adaptor was later identified as tRNA.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Barciszewska |first1=Mirosława Z. |last2=Perrigue |first2=Patrick M. |last3=Barciszewski |first3=Jan |date=2016 |title=tRNA--the golden standard in molecular biology |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26549858 |journal=Molecular BioSystems |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=12–17 |doi=10.1039/c5mb00557d |pmid=26549858}}</ref>
== Discovery ==
<!--Linked from [[Genetics]]-->
[[File:GeneticCode21-version-2.svg|thumb|The genetic code]]


===Codons===
Serious efforts to understand how proteins are encoded began after the structure of DNA was discovered in 1953. [[George Gamow]] postulated that sets of three bases must be employed to encode the 20 standard amino acids used by living cells to build proteins. With four different nucleotides, a code of 2 nucleotides would allow for only a maximum of {{nowrap|4{{smallsup|2}} &#61;}} 16 amino acids. A code of 3 nucleotides could code for a maximum of {{nowrap|4{{smallsup|3}} &#61;}} 64 amino acids.<ref name="isbn0-465-09138-5">{{cite book |author=Crick, Francis |title=What mad pursuit: a personal view of scientific discovery |publisher=Basic Books |location=New York |year=1988 |pages=89–101 |isbn=0-465-09138-5 |chapter=Chapter 8: The genetic code}}</ref>
{{Redirect|Codon}}
{{See also|DNA and RNA codon tables#Translation table 1}}


The [[Crick, Brenner et al. experiment|Crick, Brenner, Barnett and Watts-Tobin experiment]] first demonstrated that '''codons''' consist of three DNA bases.
The [[Crick, Brenner et al. experiment]] first demonstrated that codons consist of three DNA bases; [[Marshall Nirenberg]] and [[Heinrich J. Matthaei]] were the first to elucidate the nature of a codon in 1961 at the [[National Institutes of Health]]. They used a [[cell-free system]] to [[translation (biology)|translate]] a poly-uracil RNA sequence (i.e., UUUUU...) and discovered that the [[polypeptide]] that they had synthesized consisted of only the amino acid [[phenylalanine]].<ref name="pmid14479932">{{cite journal | author = Nirenberg MW, Matthaei JH | title = The dependence of cell-free protein synthesis in E. coli upon naturally occurring or synthetic polyribonucleotides. | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA | volume = 47 | issue = 10 | pages = 1588–1602 | date = October 1961 | pmid = 14479932 | pmc = 223178 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.47.10.1588 }}</ref> They thereby deduced that the codon UUU specified the amino acid phenylalanine. This was followed by experiments in [[Severo Ochoa]]'s laboratory that demonstrated that the poly-adenine RNA sequence (AAAAA...) coded for the polypeptide poly-lysine<ref name="pmid13946552">{{cite journal | author = Gardner RS, Wahba AJ, Basilio C, Miller RS, Lengyel P, Speyer JF | title = Synthetic polynucleotides and the amino acid code. VII | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA | volume = 48 | issue = 12 | pages = 2087–94 | date = December 1962 | pmid = 13946552 | pmc = 221128 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.48.12.2087 | bibcode = 1962PNAS...48.2087G }}</ref> and that the poly-cytosine RNA sequence (CCCCC...) coded for the polypeptide poly-proline.<ref name="pmid13998282">{{cite journal | author = Wahba AJ, Gardner RS, Basilio C, Miller RS, Speyer JF, Lengyel P | title = Synthetic polynucleotides and the amino acid code. VIII | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA | volume = 49 | issue = 1 | pages = 116–22 | date = January 1963 | pmid = 13998282 | pmc = 300638 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.49.1.116 | bibcode = 1963PNAS...49..116W }}</ref> Therefore the codon AAA specified the amino acid [[lysine]], and the codon CCC specified the amino acid [[proline]]. Using different copolymers most of the remaining codons were then determined. Subsequent work by [[Har Gobind Khorana]] identified the rest of the genetic code. Shortly thereafter, [[Robert W. Holley]] determined the structure of [[transfer RNA]] (tRNA), the adapter molecule that facilitates the process of translating RNA into protein. This work was based upon earlier studies by [[Severo Ochoa]], who received the [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]] in 1959 for his work on the [[enzymology]] of RNA synthesis.<ref name="Nobel_1959">{{cite press release |url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1959/index.html |title=The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1959 |quote=The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1959 was awarded jointly to Severo Ochoa and Arthur Kornberg 'for their discovery of the mechanisms in the biological synthesis of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid'. |publisher=The Royal Swedish Academy of Science |year=1959 |accessdate=2010-02-27}}</ref>


[[Marshall Nirenberg]] and [[J. Heinrich Matthaei]] were the first to reveal the nature of a codon in 1961.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Yanofsky|first=Charles|date=9 March 2007|title=Establishing the Triplet Nature of the Genetic Code|journal=Cell|volume=128|issue=5|pages=815–818|doi=10.1016/j.cell.2007.02.029|pmid=17350564|s2cid=14249277|doi-access=free}}</ref> They used a [[cell-free system]] to [[translation (biology)|translate]] a poly-[[uracil]] RNA sequence (i.e., UUUUU...) and discovered that the [[polypeptide]] that they had synthesized consisted of only the amino acid [[phenylalanine]].<ref name="pmid14479932">{{cite journal | vauthors = Nirenberg MW, Matthaei JH | title = The dependence of cell-free protein synthesis in E. coli upon naturally occurring or synthetic polyribonucleotides | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 47 | issue = 10 | pages = 1588–602 | date = Oct 1961 | pmid = 14479932 | pmc = 223178 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.47.10.1588 | bibcode = 1961PNAS...47.1588N | doi-access = free }}</ref> They thereby deduced that the codon UUU specified the amino acid phenylalanine.
Extending this work, Nirenberg and [[Philip Leder]] revealed the triplet nature of the genetic code and deciphered the codons of the standard genetic code. In these experiments, various combinations of [[mRNA]] were passed through a filter that contained [[ribosome]]s, the components of cells that [[Translation (biology)|translate]] RNA into protein. Unique triplets promoted the binding of specific tRNAs to the ribosome. Leder and Nirenberg were able to determine the sequences of 54 out of 64 codons in their experiments.<ref name="pmid5330357">{{cite journal | author = Nirenberg M, Leder P, Bernfield M, Brimacombe R, Trupin J, Rottman F, O'Neal C | title = RNA codewords and protein synthesis, VII. On the general nature of the RNA code | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA | volume = 53 | issue = 5 | pages = 1161–8 | date = May 1965 | pmid = 5330357 | pmc = 301388 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.53.5.1161 | bibcode = 1965PNAS...53.1161N }}</ref> In 1968, Khorana, Holley and Nirenberg received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work.<ref name="Nobel_1968">{{cite press release |url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1968/index.html |title=The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1968 |quote=The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1968 was awarded jointly to Robert W. Holley, Har Gobind Khorana and Marshall W. Nirenberg 'for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis'. |publisher=The Royal Swedish Academy of Science |year=1968 |accessdate=2010-02-27}}</ref>


This was followed by experiments in [[Severo Ochoa]]'s laboratory that demonstrated that the poly-[[adenine]] RNA sequence (AAAAA...) coded for the polypeptide poly-[[lysine]]<ref name="pmid13946552">{{cite journal | vauthors = Gardner RS, Wahba AJ, Basilio C, Miller RS, Lengyel P, Speyer JF | title = Synthetic polynucleotides and the amino acid code. VII | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 48 | issue = 12 | pages = 2087–94 | date = Dec 1962 | pmid = 13946552 | pmc = 221128 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.48.12.2087 | bibcode = 1962PNAS...48.2087G | doi-access = free }}</ref> and that the poly-[[cytosine]] RNA sequence (CCCCC...) coded for the polypeptide poly-[[proline]].<ref name="pmid13998282">{{cite journal | vauthors = Wahba AJ, Gardner RS, Basilio C, Miller RS, Speyer JF, Lengyel P | title = Synthetic polynucleotides and the amino acid code. VIII | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 49 | issue = 1 | pages = 116–22 | date = Jan 1963 | pmid = 13998282 | pmc = 300638 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.49.1.116 | bibcode = 1963PNAS...49..116W | doi-access = free }}</ref> Therefore, the codon AAA specified the amino acid [[lysine]], and the codon CCC specified the amino acid [[proline]]. Using various [[copolymers]] most of the remaining codons were then determined.
==Salient features==


Subsequent work by [[Har Gobind Khorana]] identified the rest of the genetic code. Shortly thereafter, [[Robert W. Holley]] determined the structure of [[transfer RNA]] (tRNA), the adapter molecule that facilitates the process of translating RNA into protein. This work was based upon Ochoa's earlier studies, yielding the latter the [[Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine]] in 1959 for work on the [[enzymology]] of RNA synthesis.<ref name="Nobel_1959">{{cite press release |url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1959/index.html |title=The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1959 |quote=The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1959 was awarded jointly to Severo Ochoa and Arthur Kornberg 'for their discovery of the mechanisms in the biological synthesis of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid'. |publisher=The Royal Swedish Academy of Science |date=1959 |access-date=2010-02-27}}</ref>
===Sequence reading frame===
A codon is defined by the initial nucleotide from which translation starts. For example, the string GGGAAACCC, if read from the first position, contains the codons GGG, AAA, and CCC; and, if read from the second position, it contains the codons GGA and AAC; if read starting from the third position, GAA and ACC. Every sequence can, thus, be read in three [[reading frames]], each of which will produce a different amino acid sequence (in the given example, Gly-Lys-Pro, Gly-Asn, or Glu-Thr, respectively). With double-stranded DNA, there are six possible [[reading frames]], three in the forward orientation on one strand and three reverse on the opposite strand.<ref name="genetics_ dictionary"/>{{rp|330}} The actual frame in which a protein sequence is translated is defined by a [[start codon]], usually the first AUG codon in the mRNA sequence.


Extending this work, Nirenberg and [[Philip Leder]] revealed the code's triplet nature and deciphered its codons. In these experiments, various combinations of [[mRNA]] were passed through a filter that contained [[ribosome]]s, the components of cells that [[Translation (biology)|translate]] RNA into protein. Unique triplets promoted the binding of specific tRNAs to the ribosome. Leder and Nirenberg were able to determine the sequences of 54 out of 64 codons in their experiments.<ref name="pmid5330357">{{cite journal | vauthors = Nirenberg M, Leder P, Bernfield M, Brimacombe R, Trupin J, Rottman F, O'Neal C | title = RNA codewords and protein synthesis, VII. On the general nature of the RNA code | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 53 | issue = 5 | pages = 1161–8 | date = May 1965 | pmid = 5330357 | pmc = 301388 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.53.5.1161 | bibcode = 1965PNAS...53.1161N | doi-access = free }}</ref> Khorana, Holley and Nirenberg received the Nobel Prize (1968) for their work.<ref name="Nobel_1968">{{cite press release |url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/1968/index.html |title=The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1968 |quote=The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1968 was awarded jointly to Robert W. Holley, Har Gobind Khorana and Marshall W. Nirenberg 'for their interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis'. |publisher=The Royal Swedish Academy of Science |date=1968 |access-date=2010-02-27}}</ref>
=== Start/stop codons ===
Translation starts with a chain [[start codon|initiation codon]] or start codon. Unlike stop codons, the codon alone is not sufficient to begin the process. Nearby sequences such as the [[Shine-Dalgarno]] sequence in ''[[Escherichia coli|E. coli]]'' and [[initiation factor]]s are also required to start translation. The most common start codon is AUG, which is read as [[methionine]] or, in bacteria, as [[formylmethionine]]. Alternative start codons depending on the organism include "GUG" or "UUG"; these codons normally represent valine and leucine, respectively, but as start codons they are translated as methionine or formylmethionine.<ref name="pmid12867081">{{cite journal | author = Touriol C, Bornes S, Bonnal S, Audigier S, Prats H, Prats AC, Vagner S | title = Generation of protein isoform diversity by alternative initiation of translation at non-AUG codons | journal = Biol. Cell | volume = 95 | issue = 3–4 | pages = 169–78 | year = 2003 | pmid = 12867081 | doi = 10.1016/S0248-4900(03)00033-9 }}</ref>


The three [[stop codon]]s have been given names: UAG is ''amber'', UGA is ''opal'' (sometimes also called ''umber''), and UAA is ''ochre''. "Amber" was named by discoverers Richard Epstein and Charles Steinberg after their friend Harris Bernstein, whose last name means "amber" in German.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Edgar B | title = The genome of bacteriophage T4: an archeological dig | journal = Genetics | volume = 168 | issue = 2 | pages = 575–82 | year = 2004 | pmid = 15514035 | pmc = 1448817 }}</ref> The other two stop codons were named "ochre" and "opal" in order to keep the "color names" theme. Stop codons are also called "termination" or "nonsense" codons. They signal release of the nascent polypeptide from the ribosome because there is no cognate tRNA that has anticodons complementary to these stop signals, and so a [[release factor]] binds to the ribosome instead.<ref name="urlHow nonsense mutations got their names">{{cite web | url = http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/~smaloy/MicrobialGenetics/topics/rev-sup/amber-name.html | title = How nonsense mutations got their names | author = Maloy S | date = 2003-11-29 | work = Microbial Genetics Course | publisher = San Diego State University | accessdate = 2010-03-10 }}</ref>
The three stop codons were named by discoverers Richard Epstein and Charles Steinberg. "Amber" was named after their friend Harris Bernstein, whose last name means "amber" in German.<ref>{{cite journal|date=Oct 2004|title=The genome of bacteriophage T4: an archeological dig|journal=Genetics|volume=168|issue=2|pages=575–82|pmc=1448817|pmid=15514035|vauthors=Edgar B|doi=10.1093/genetics/168.2.575}}</ref> The other two stop codons were named "ochre" and "opal" in order to keep the "color names" theme.

=== Expanded genetic codes (synthetic biology) ===
{{Main|Expanded genetic code}}
{{See also|Nucleic acid analogues}}

In a broad academic audience, the concept of the evolution of the genetic code from the original and ambiguous genetic code to a well-defined ("frozen") code with the repertoire of 20 (+2) canonical amino acids is widely accepted.<ref>{{Cite book| title = The book at the Wiley Online Library
| doi = 10.1002/3527607188
| isbn = 9783527312436
|last1 = Budisa|first1 = Nediljko| date = 2005-12-23
}}</ref>
However, there are different opinions, concepts, approaches and ideas, which is the best way to change it experimentally. Even models are proposed that predict "entry points" for synthetic amino acid invasion of the genetic code.<ref>{{cite journal
| last1 = Kubyshkin | first1 = V.
| last2 = Budisa | first2 = N.
| year = 2018
| title = Synthetic alienation of microbial organisms by using genetic code engineering: Why and how?
| journal = Biotechnology Journal
| volume = 12
| issue = 8
| pages = 16000933
| doi = 10.1002/biot.201600097
| pmid = 28671771
}}</ref>

Since 2001, 40 non-natural amino acids have been added into proteins by creating a unique codon (recoding) and a corresponding transfer-RNA:aminoacyl&nbsp;– tRNA-synthetase pair to encode it with diverse physicochemical and biological properties in order to be used as a tool to exploring [[protein structure]] and function or to create novel or enhanced proteins.<ref name="XieSchultz2005">{{cite journal | vauthors = Xie J, Schultz PG | title = Adding amino acids to the genetic repertoire | journal = Current Opinion in Chemical Biology | volume = 9 | issue = 6 | pages = 548–54 | date = December 2005 | pmid = 16260173 | doi = 10.1016/j.cbpa.2005.10.011 }}</ref><ref name="pmid19318213">{{cite journal | vauthors = Wang Q, Parrish AR, Wang L | title = Expanding the genetic code for biological studies | journal = Chemistry & Biology | volume = 16 | issue = 3 | pages = 323–36 | date = March 2009 | pmid = 19318213 | pmc = 2696486 | doi = 10.1016/j.chembiol.2009.03.001 }}</ref>

H. Murakami and M. Sisido extended some codons to have four and five bases. [[Steven A. Benner]] constructed a functional 65th (''in vivo'') codon.<ref name="isbn0-387-22046-1">{{cite book|first=Matthew |last=Simon | name-list-style = vanc | title = Emergent Computation: Emphasizing Bioinformatics|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=Uxg51oZNkIsC|page=105}}|date=7 January 2005|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|isbn=978-0-387-22046-8|pages=105–106}}</ref>

In 2015 [[Nediljko Budisa|N. Budisa]], [[Dieter Söll|D. Söll]] and co-workers reported the full substitution of all 20,899 [[tryptophan]] residues (UGG codons) with unnatural thienopyrrole-alanine in the genetic code of the bacterium ''Escherichia coli''.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Hoesl | first1 = M. G. | last2 = Oehm | first2 = S. | last3 = Durkin | first3 = P. | last4 = Darmon | first4 = E. | last5 = Peil | first5 = L. | last6 = Aerni | first6 = H.-R. | last7 = Rappsilber | first7 = J. | author-link7=Juri Rappsilber | last8 = Rinehart | first8 = J. | last9 = Leach | first9 = D. | last10 = Söll | first10 = D. | last11 = Budisa | first11 = N. | year = 2015 | title = Chemical evolution of a bacterial proteome | journal = Angewandte Chemie International Edition | volume = 54 | issue = 34 | pages = 10030–10034 | doi = 10.1002/anie.201502868 | pmc = 4782924 | pmid=26136259 }} NIHMSID: NIHMS711205</ref>

In 2016 the first stable semisynthetic organism was created. It was a (single cell) bacterium with two synthetic bases (called X and Y). The bases survived cell division.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kurzweilai.net/first-stable-semisynthetic-organism-created|title=First stable semisynthetic organism created {{!}} KurzweilAI|date=3 February 2017|website=www.kurzweilai.net|access-date=2017-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Zhang Y, Lamb BM, Feldman AW, Zhou AX, Lavergne T, Li L, Romesberg FE | title = A semisynthetic organism engineered for the stable expansion of the genetic alphabet| journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 114 | issue = 6 | pages = 1317–1322 | date = February 2017 | pmid = 28115716 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.1616443114 | pmc=5307467| bibcode = 2017PNAS..114.1317Z| doi-access = free}}</ref>

In 2017, researchers in South Korea reported that they had engineered a mouse with an extended genetic code that can produce proteins with unnatural amino acids.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Han S, Yang A, Lee S, Lee HW, Park CB, Park HS | title = Expanding the genetic code of Mus musculus | journal = Nature Communications | volume = 8 | pages = 14568 | date = February 2017 | pmid = 28220771 | doi = 10.1038/ncomms14568 | pmc=5321798| bibcode = 2017NatCo...814568H }}</ref>

In May 2019, researchers reported the creation of a new "Syn61" strain of the [[bacterium]] ''[[Escherichia coli]]''. This strain has a fully [[Synthetic biology#Synthetic life|synthetic]] genome that is refactored (all overlaps expanded), recoded (removing the use of three out of 64 codons completely), and further modified to remove the now unnecessary tRNAs and release factors. It is fully viable and grows 1.6× slower than its wild-type counterpart "MDS42".<ref name="NYT-20190515">{{cite news |last=Zimmer |first=Carl |author-link=Carl Zimmer |title=Scientists Created Bacteria With a Synthetic Genome. Is This Artificial Life? - In a milestone for synthetic biology, colonies of E. coli thrive with DNA constructed from scratch by humans, not nature. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/science/synthetic-genome-bacteria.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220102/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/science/synthetic-genome-bacteria.html |archive-date=2022-01-02 |url-access=limited |url-status=live |date=15 May 2019 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=16 May 2019 }}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="NAT-20190515">{{cite journal |author=Fredens, Julius |s2cid=205571025 |display-authors=et al. |title=Total synthesis of Escherichia coli with a recoded genome |date=15 May 2019 |journal=[[Nature (journal)|Nature]] |volume=569 |issue=7757 |pages=514–518 |doi=10.1038/s41586-019-1192-5 |pmid=31092918 |pmc=7039709 |bibcode=2019Natur.569..514F }}</ref>

==Features==
[[File:Homo sapiens-mtDNA~NC 012920-ATP8+ATP6 Overlap.svg|thumb|right|Reading frames in the DNA sequence of a region of the human mitochondrial genome coding for the genes ''[[MT-ATP8]]'' and ''[[MT-ATP6]]'' (in black: positions 8,525 to 8,580 in the sequence accession NC_012920<ref name="NCBI NC_012920">''Homo sapiens'' mitochondrion, complete genome. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nuccore/NC_012920.1 "Revised Cambridge Reference Sequence (rCRS): accession NC_012920"], ''[[National Center for Biotechnology Information]]''. Retrieved on 27 December 2017.</ref>). There are three possible reading frames in the 5' → 3' forward direction, starting on the first (+1), second (+2) and third position (+3). For each codon (square brackets), the amino acid is given by the [[vertebrate mitochondrial code]], either in the +1 frame for ''MT-ATP8'' (in red) or in the +3 frame for ''MT-ATP6'' (in blue). The ''MT-ATP8'' genes terminates with the TAG stop codon (red dot) in the +1 frame. The ''MT-ATP6'' gene starts with the ATG codon (blue circle for the M amino acid) in the +3 frame.]]

===Reading frame===
A reading frame is defined by the initial triplet of nucleotides from which translation starts. It sets the frame for a run of successive, non-overlapping codons, which is known as an "[[open reading frame]]" (ORF). For example, the string 5'-AAATGAACG-3' (see figure), if read from the first position, contains the codons AAA, TGA, and ACG ; if read from the second position, it contains the codons AAT and GAA ; and if read from the third position, it contains the codons ATG and AAC. Every sequence can, thus, be read in its [[5' to 3'|5' → 3' direction]] in three [[reading frames]], each producing a possibly distinct amino acid sequence: in the given example, Lys (K)-Trp (W)-Thr (T), Asn (N)-Glu (E), or Met (M)-Asn (N), respectively (when translating with the vertebrate mitochondrial code). When DNA is double-stranded, six possible [[reading frames]] are defined, three in the forward orientation on one strand and three reverse on the opposite strand.<ref name="genetics_ dictionary"/>{{rp|330}} Protein-coding frames are defined by a [[start codon]], usually the first AUG (ATG) codon in the RNA (DNA) sequence.

In [[eukaryote]]s, ORFs in [[exon]]s are often interrupted by [[intron]]s.

=== Start and stop codons ===
Translation starts with a chain-initiation codon or [[start codon]]. The start codon alone is not sufficient to begin the process. Nearby sequences such as the [[Shine-Dalgarno]] sequence in ''[[Escherichia coli|E. coli]]'' and [[initiation factor]]s are also required to start translation. The most common start codon is AUG, which is read as [[methionine]] or as [[N-Formylmethionine|formylmethionine]] (in bacteria, mitochondria, and plastids). Alternative start codons depending on the organism include "GUG" or "UUG"; these codons normally represent [[valine]] and [[leucine]], respectively, but as start codons they are translated as methionine or formylmethionine.<ref name="pmid12867081">{{cite journal | vauthors = Touriol C, Bornes S, Bonnal S, Audigier S, Prats H, Prats AC, Vagner S | title = Generation of protein isoform diversity by alternative initiation of translation at non-AUG codons | journal = Biology of the Cell | volume = 95 | issue = 3–4 | pages = 169–78 | date = 2003 | pmid = 12867081 | doi = 10.1016/S0248-4900(03)00033-9 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

The three [[stop codon]]s have names: UAG is ''amber'', UGA is ''opal'' (sometimes also called ''umber''), and UAA is ''ochre''. Stop codons are also called "termination" or "nonsense" codons. They signal release of the nascent polypeptide from the ribosome because no cognate tRNA has anticodons complementary to these stop signals, allowing a [[release factor]] to bind to the ribosome instead.<ref name="urlHow nonsense mutations got their names">{{cite web | url = http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/~smaloy/MicrobialGenetics/topics/rev-sup/amber-name.html | title = How nonsense mutations got their names | author = Maloy S | date = 2003-11-29 | work = Microbial Genetics Course | publisher = San Diego State University | access-date = 2010-03-10 }}</ref>


===Effect of mutations===
===Effect of mutations===
[[File:Notable mutations.svg|300px|thumb|Examples of notable [[mutation]]s that can occur in humans.<ref>References for the image are found in Wikimedia Commons page at: [[Commons:File:Notable mutations.svg#References]].</ref>]]<!-- EXPANSION OF THE IMAGE WITH MORE EXAMPLES IS EXPECTED (see its discussion page)-->
[[File:Notable mutations.svg|upright=1.75|thumb|Examples of notable [[mutation]]s that can occur in humans<ref>References for the image are found in Wikimedia Commons page at: [[Commons:File:Notable mutations.svg#References]].</ref>]]<!-- EXPANSION OF THE IMAGE WITH MORE EXAMPLES IS EXPECTED (see its discussion page)-->


During the process of [[DNA replication]], errors occasionally occur in the polymerization of the second strand. These errors, called [[mutations]], can have an impact on the phenotype of an organism, especially if they occur within the protein coding sequence of a gene. Error rates are usually very low—1 error in every 10–100&nbsp;million bases—due to the "proofreading" ability of [[DNA polymerase]]s.<ref name=griffiths2000sect2706>{{cite book |editor1-first=Anthony J. F. |editor1-last=Griffiths |editor2-first=Jeffrey H. |editor2-last=Miller |editor3-first=David T. |editor3-last=Suzuki |editor4-first=Richard C. |editor4-last=Lewontin |editor5-last=Gelbart |title=An Introduction to Genetic Analysis |year=2000 |isbn=0-7167-3520-2 |edition=7th |publisher=W. H. Freeman |location=New York |chapterurl=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=iga.section.2706 |chapter=Spontaneous mutations }}</ref><ref name=Kunkel>{{cite journal | author = Freisinger E, Grollman AP, Miller H, Kisker C | title = Lesion (in)tolerance reveals insights into DNA replication fidelity | journal = The EMBO Journal | volume = 23 | issue = 7 | pages = 1494–505 | year = 2004 | pmid = 15057282 | pmc = 391067 | doi = 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600158 }}</ref>
During the process of [[DNA replication]], errors occasionally occur in the [[polymerization]] of the second strand. These errors, [[mutation]]s, can affect an organism's [[phenotype]], especially if they occur within the protein coding sequence of a gene. Error rates are typically 1 error in every 10–100&nbsp;million bases—due to the "proofreading" ability of [[DNA polymerase]]s.<ref name=griffiths2000sect2706>{{cite book |editor1-first=Anthony J. F. |display-editors=4 |editor1-last=Griffiths |editor2-first=Jeffrey H. |editor2-last=Miller |editor3-first=David T. |editor3-last=Suzuki |editor4-first=Richard C. |editor4-last=Lewontin |editor5-last=Gelbart | name-list-style = vanc |title=An Introduction to Genetic Analysis |date=2000 |isbn=978-0-7167-3520-5 |edition=7th |publisher=W. H. Freeman |location=New York |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=iga.section.2706 |chapter=Spontaneous mutations }}</ref><ref name=Kunkel>{{cite journal | vauthors = Freisinger E, Grollman AP, Miller H, Kisker C | title = Lesion (in)tolerance reveals insights into DNA replication fidelity | journal = The EMBO Journal | volume = 23 | issue = 7 | pages = 1494–505 | date = Apr 2004 | pmid = 15057282 | pmc = 391067 | doi = 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600158 }}</ref>


[[Missense mutation]]s and [[nonsense mutation]]s are examples of [[point mutation]]s that can cause genetic diseases such as [[sickle-cell disease]] and [[thalassemia]] respectively.<ref>{{Cite journal
[[Missense mutation]]s and [[nonsense mutation]]s are examples of [[point mutation]]s, which can cause genetic diseases such as [[sickle-cell disease]] and [[thalassemia]] respectively.<ref>{{Harv | Boillée | 2006 | p=39}}</ref><ref name="pmid88735">{{cite journal | author = Chang JC, Kan YW | title = beta 0 thalassemia, a nonsense mutation in man | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. | volume = 76 | issue = 6 | pages = 2886–9 | date = June 1979 | pmid = 88735 | pmc = 383714 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.76.6.2886 | bibcode = 1979PNAS...76.2886C }}</ref><ref name="pmid17015226">{{cite journal | author = Boillée S, Vande Velde C, Cleveland DW | title = ALS: a disease of motor neurons and their nonneuronal neighbors | journal = Neuron | volume = 52 | issue = 1 | pages = 39–59 | date = October 2006 | pmid = 17015226 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.09.018 }}</ref> Clinically important missense mutations generally change the properties of the coded amino acid residue between being basic, acidic, polar or non-polar, whereas nonsense mutations result in a [[stop codon]].<ref name="genetics_ dictionary">{{cite book | author = Pamela K. Mulligan; King, Robert C.; Stansfield, William D. | title = A dictionary of genetics | publisher = Oxford University Press | location = Oxford [Oxfordshire] | year = 2006 pages = 608 | isbn = 0-19-530761-5 }}</ref>{{rp|266}}
| pmid = 17015226
| year = 2006
| last1 = Boillée
| first1 = S
| title = ALS: A disease of motor neurons and their nonneuronal neighbors
| journal = Neuron
| volume = 52
| issue = 1
| last2 = Vande Velde
| first2 = C
| last3 = Cleveland
| first3 = D. W.
| pages = 39–59
| doi = 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.09.018
| doi-access = free
}}</ref><ref name="pmid88735">{{cite journal | vauthors = Chang JC, Kan YW | title = beta 0 thalassemia, a nonsense mutation in man | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 76 | issue = 6 | pages = 2886–9 | date = Jun 1979 | pmid = 88735 | pmc = 383714 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.76.6.2886 | bibcode = 1979PNAS...76.2886C | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref name="pmid17015226">{{cite journal | vauthors = Boillée S, Vande Velde C, Cleveland DW | title = ALS: a disease of motor neurons and their nonneuronal neighbors | journal = Neuron | volume = 52 | issue = 1 | pages = 39–59 | date = Oct 2006 | pmid = 17015226 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuron.2006.09.018 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Clinically important missense mutations generally change the properties of the coded amino acid residue among basic, acidic, polar or non-polar states, whereas nonsense mutations result in a [[stop codon]].<ref name="genetics_ dictionary">{{cite book | first1 = Robert C. | last1 = King | first2 = Pamela | last2 = Mulligan | first3 = William | last3 = Stansfield | name-list-style = vanc | title = A Dictionary of Genetics|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=5jhH0HTjEdkC}}|date=10 January 2013 | publisher = OUP USA | isbn = 978-0-19-976644-4| pages = 608 }}</ref>


Mutations that disrupt the reading frame sequence by [[indels]] ([[gene insertion|insertions]] or [[genetic deletion|deletions]]) of a non-multiple of 3 nucleotide bases are known as [[frameshift mutation]]s. These mutations usually result in a completely different translation from the original, and are also very likely to cause a [[stop codon]] to be read, which truncates the creation of the protein.<ref name="pmid8723688">{{cite journal | author = Isbrandt D, Hopwood JJ, von Figura K, Peters C | title = Two novel frameshift mutations causing premature stop codons in a patient with the severe form of Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome | journal = Hum. Mutat. | volume = 7 | issue = 4 | pages = 361–3 | year = 1996 | pmid = 8723688 | doi = 10.1002/(SICI)1098-1004(1996)7:4<361::AID-HUMU12>3.0.CO;2-0 }}</ref> These mutations may impair the function of the resulting protein, and are thus rare in ''[[in vivo]]'' protein-coding sequences. One reason inheritance of frameshift mutations is rare is that, if the protein being translated is essential for growth under the selective pressures the organism faces, absence of a functional protein may cause death before the organism is viable.<ref name="pmid8444142">{{cite journal | author = Crow JF | title = How much do we know about spontaneous human mutation rates? | journal = Environ. Mol. Mutagen. | volume = 21 | issue = 2 | pages = 122–9 | year = 1993 | pmid = 8444142 | doi = 10.1002/em.2850210205 }}</ref> Frameshift mutations may result in severe genetic diseases such as [[Tay-Sachs disease]].<ref name="isbn0-07-111156-5">{{cite book | author = Lewis, Ricki | title = Human Genetics: Concepts and Applications | edition = 6th | publisher = McGraw Hill | location = Boston, Mass | year = 2005| pages = 227–228| isbn = 0-07-111156-5 }}</ref>
Mutations that disrupt the reading frame sequence by [[indels]] ([[gene insertion|insertions]] or [[genetic deletion|deletions]]) of a non-multiple of 3 nucleotide bases are known as [[frameshift mutation]]s. These mutations usually result in a completely different translation from the original, and likely cause a [[stop codon]] to be read, which truncates the protein.<ref name="pmid8723688">{{cite journal | vauthors = Isbrandt D, Hopwood JJ, von Figura K, Peters C | title = Two novel frameshift mutations causing premature stop codons in a patient with the severe form of Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome | journal = Human Mutation | volume = 7 | issue = 4 | pages = 361–3 | date = 1996 | pmid = 8723688 | doi = 10.1002/(SICI)1098-1004(1996)7:4<361::AID-HUMU12>3.0.CO;2-0 | s2cid = 22693748 | doi-access = free }}</ref> These mutations may impair the protein's function and are thus rare in ''[[in vivo]]'' protein-coding sequences. One reason inheritance of frameshift mutations is rare is that, if the protein being translated is essential for growth under the selective pressures the organism faces, absence of a functional protein may cause death before the organism becomes viable.<ref name="pmid8444142">{{cite journal | vauthors = Crow JF | title = How much do we know about spontaneous human mutation rates? | journal = Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis | volume = 21 | issue = 2 | pages = 122–9 | date = 1993 | pmid = 8444142 | doi = 10.1002/em.2850210205 | bibcode = 1993EnvMM..21..122C | s2cid = 32918971 }}</ref> Frameshift mutations may result in severe genetic diseases such as [[Tay–Sachs disease]].<ref name="isbn0-07-111156-5">{{cite book | last = Lewis | first = Ricki | name-list-style = vanc | title = Human Genetics: Concepts and Applications | edition = 6th | publisher = McGraw Hill | location = Boston, Mass | date = 2005| pages = 227–228| isbn = 978-0-07-111156-0 }}</ref>


Although most mutations that change protein sequences are harmful or neutral, some mutations have a beneficial effect on an organism.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Sawyer SA, Parsch J, Zhang Z, Hartl DL | title = Prevalence of positive selection among nearly neutral amino acid replacements in Drosophila | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. | volume = 104 | issue = 16 | pages = 6504–10 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17409186 | pmc = 1871816 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.0701572104 | bibcode = 2007PNAS..104.6504S }}</ref> These mutations may enable the mutant organism to withstand particular environmental stresses better than [[wild-type]] organisms, or reproduce more quickly. In these cases a mutation will tend to become more common in a population through [[natural selection]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Bridges KR |title=Malaria and the Red Cell |journal=Harvard |year=2002 |url=http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/malaria_sickle.html}}</ref> [[Virus]]es that use [[RNA]] as their genetic material have rapid mutation rates,<ref>{{cite journal | author = Drake JW, Holland JJ | title = Mutation rates among RNA viruses | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. | volume = 96 | issue = 24 | pages = 13910–3 | year = 1999 | pmid = 10570172 | pmc = 24164 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.96.24.13910 | bibcode = 1999PNAS...9613910D }}</ref> which can be an advantage, since these viruses will evolve constantly and rapidly, and thus evade the defensive responses of e.g. the human [[immune system]].<ref>{{cite journal | author = Holland J, Spindler K, Horodyski F, Grabau E, Nichol S, VandePol S | title = Rapid evolution of RNA genomes | journal = Science | volume = 215 | issue = 4540 | pages = 1577–85 | year = 1982 | pmid = 7041255 | doi = 10.1126/science.7041255 | bibcode = 1982Sci...215.1577H }}</ref> In large populations of asexually reproducing organisms, for example, ''E. coli'', multiple beneficial mutations may co-occur. This phenomenon is called [[clonal interference]] and causes competition among the mutations.<ref>{{cite journal | author = de Visser JA, Rozen DE | title = Clonal Interference and the Periodic Selection of New Beneficial Mutations in Escherichia coli | journal = Genetics, the Genetics Society of America | volume = 172 | issue = 4 | pages = 2093–2100 | year = 2006 | pmid = 16489229 | pmc = 1456385 | doi = 10.1534/genetics.105.052373 }}</ref>
Although most mutations that change protein sequences are harmful or neutral, some mutations have benefits.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sawyer SA, Parsch J, Zhang Z, Hartl DL | title = Prevalence of positive selection among nearly neutral amino acid replacements in Drosophila | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 104 | issue = 16 | pages = 6504–10 | date = Apr 2007 | pmid = 17409186 | pmc = 1871816 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.0701572104 | bibcode = 2007PNAS..104.6504S | doi-access = free }}</ref> These mutations may enable the mutant organism to withstand particular environmental stresses better than [[wild type]] organisms, or reproduce more quickly. In these cases a mutation will tend to become more common in a population through [[natural selection]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Bridges KR |title=Malaria and the Red Cell |journal=Harvard |date=2002 |url=http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/malaria_sickle.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127201806/http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/malaria_sickle.html |archive-date=27 November 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[Virus]]es that use [[RNA]] as their genetic material have rapid mutation rates,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Drake JW, Holland JJ | title = Mutation rates among RNA viruses | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 96 | issue = 24 | pages = 13910–3 | date = Nov 1999 | pmid = 10570172 | pmc = 24164 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.96.24.13910 | bibcode = 1999PNAS...9613910D | doi-access = free }}</ref> which can be an advantage, since these viruses thereby evolve rapidly, and thus evade the [[immune system]] defensive responses.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Holland J, Spindler K, Horodyski F, Grabau E, Nichol S, VandePol S | title = Rapid evolution of RNA genomes | journal = Science | volume = 215 | issue = 4540 | pages = 1577–85 | date = Mar 1982 | pmid = 7041255 | doi = 10.1126/science.7041255 | bibcode = 1982Sci...215.1577H }}</ref> In large populations of asexually reproducing organisms, for example, ''E. coli'', multiple beneficial mutations may co-occur. This phenomenon is called [[clonal interference]] and causes competition among the mutations.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = de Visser JA, Rozen DE | title = Clonal interference and the periodic selection of new beneficial mutations in Escherichia coli | journal = Genetics | volume = 172 | issue = 4 | pages = 2093–100 | date = Apr 2006 | pmid = 16489229 | pmc = 1456385 | doi = 10.1534/genetics.105.052373 }}</ref>


===Degeneracy===
===Degeneracy===
{{Main|Codon degeneracy}}
{{Main|Codon degeneracy}}
[[File:Genetic Code Simple Corrected.pdf|thumb|Grouping of codons by amino acid residue molar volume and [[hydropathicity]]. A [[:File:ELLIPTICAL GENETIC CODE Ian.png|more detailed version]] is available.]]
Degeneracy is the redundancy of the genetic code. The genetic code has redundancy but no ambiguity (see the [[#RNA codon table|codon tables]] below for the full correlation). For example, although codons GAA and GAG both specify glutamic acid (redundancy), neither of them specifies any other amino acid (no ambiguity). The codons encoding one amino acid may differ in any of their three positions. For example the amino acid [[leucine]] is specified by '''Y'''U'''R''' or CU'''N''' (UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, or CUG) codons (difference in the first or third position indicated using [[Nucleic acid notation|IUPAC notation]]), while the amino acid [[serine]] is specified by UC'''N''' or AG'''Y''' (UCA, UCG, UCC, UCU, AGU, or AGC) codons (difference in the first, second, or third position).<ref name="MBG"/>{{rp|521–522}} A practical consequence of redundancy is that errors in the third position of the triplet codon cause only a silent mutation or an error that would not affect the protein because the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity is maintained by equivalent substitution of amino acids; for example, a codon of NUN (where N = any nucleotide) tends to code for hydrophobic amino acids. NCN yields amino acid residues that are small in size and moderate in hydropathy; NAN encodes average size hydrophilic residues. The genetic code is so well-structured for hydropathy that a mathematical analysis ([[Singular value decomposition|Singular Value Decomposition]]) of 12 variables (4 nucleotides x 3 positions) yields a remarkable correlation (C = 0.95) for predicting the hydropathy of the encoded amino acid directly from the triplet nucleotide sequence, ''without translation.''<ref>Yang et al. (1990) in Michel-Beyerle, M. E., ed. Reaction centers of photosynthetic bacteria: Feldafing-II-Meeting 6. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. pp. 209–18. ISBN 3-540-53420-2.</ref><ref>Füllen G, Youvan DC (1994). "Genetic Algorithms and Recursive Ensemble Mutagenesis in Protein Engineering". Complexity International 1.</ref> Note in the table, below, eight amino acids are not affected at all by mutations at the third position of the codon, whereas in the figure to the right, a mutation at the second position is likely to cause a radical change in the physicochemical properties of the encoded amino acid. [[File:Genetic Code Simple Corrected.pdf|thumb|Grouping of codons by amino acid residue molar volume and [[hydropathy index|hydropathy]] in the [[Genetic Code]] ([[:File:Hydropathy Molar Volume Genetic Code 2.png|expanded view]]).]]
[[File:3D Genetic Code.jpg|thumb|Axes 1, 2, 3 are the first, second, and third positions in the codon. The 20 amino acids and stop codons (X) are shown in [[Amino acid#Table of standard amino acid abbreviations and properties|single letter code]].]]
Degeneracy is the redundancy of the genetic code. This term was given by Bernfield and Nirenberg. The genetic code has redundancy but no ambiguity (see the [[DNA and RNA codon tables|codon tables]] below for the full correlation). For example, although codons GAA and GAG both specify [[glutamic acid]] (redundancy), neither specifies another amino acid (no ambiguity). The codons encoding one amino acid may differ in any of their three positions. For example, the amino acid leucine is specified by '''Y'''U'''R''' or CU'''N''' (UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, or CUG) codons (difference in the first or third position indicated using [[Nucleic acid notation|IUPAC notation]]), while the amino acid [[serine]] is specified by UC'''N''' or AG'''Y''' (UCA, UCG, UCC, UCU, AGU, or AGC) codons (difference in the first, second, or third position).<ref name="MBG">{{cite book|first=James D. |last=Watson|title=Molecular Biology of the Gene|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=MByWPwAACAAJ}}|year=2008|publisher=Pearson/Benjamin Cummings|isbn=978-0-8053-9592-1}} {{rp|[{{google books |plainurl=y |id=MByWPwAACAAJ|page=102}} 102–117]}} {{rp|[{{google books |plainurl=y |id=MByWPwAACAAJ|page=521}} 521–522]}}</ref> A practical consequence of redundancy is that errors in the third position of the triplet codon cause only a silent mutation or an error that would not affect the protein because the [[hydrophilicity]] or [[hydrophobicity]] is maintained by equivalent substitution of amino acids; for example, a codon of NUN (where N = any nucleotide) tends to code for hydrophobic amino acids. NCN yields amino acid residues that are small in size and moderate in [[hydropathicity]]; NAN encodes average size hydrophilic residues. The genetic code is so well-structured for hydropathicity that a mathematical analysis ([[Singular value decomposition|Singular Value Decomposition]]) of 12 variables (4 nucleotides x 3 positions) yields a remarkable correlation (C = 0.95) for predicting the hydropathicity of the encoded amino acid directly from the triplet nucleotide sequence, ''without translation.''<ref name="Michel-Beyerle1990">{{cite book|first=Maria Elisabeth |last=Michel-Beyerle|title=Reaction centers of photosynthetic bacteria: Feldafing-II-Meeting|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=xD5OAQAAIAAJ}}|year=1990|publisher=Springer-Verlag|isbn=978-3-540-53420-4}}</ref><ref>Füllen G, Youvan DC (1994). "Genetic Algorithms and Recursive Ensemble Mutagenesis in Protein Engineering". Complexity International 1.</ref> Note in the table, below, eight amino acids are not affected at all by mutations at the third position of the codon, whereas in the figure above, a mutation at the second position is likely to cause a radical change in the physicochemical properties of the encoded amino acid.
Nevertheless, changes in the first position of the codons are more important than changes in the second position on a global scale.<ref name=Fricke>{{Cite journal|last=Fricke|first=Markus|s2cid=51968530|title=Global importance of RNA secondary structures in protein coding sequences|journal=Bioinformatics|volume=35|issue=4|pages=579–583|doi=10.1093/bioinformatics/bty678|pmid=30101307|year=2019|pmc=7109657}}</ref> The reason may be that charge reversal (from a positive to a negative charge or vice versa) can only occur upon mutations in the first position of certain codons, but not upon changes in the second position of any codon. Such charge reversal may have dramatic consequences for the structure or function of a protein. This aspect may have been largely underestimated by previous studies.<ref name=Fricke/>


===Codon usage bias===
==Transfer of information via the genetic code==
The frequency of codons, also known as [[codon usage bias]], can vary from species to species with functional implications for the control of [[translation (biology)|translation]]. The codon varies by organism; for example, most common proline codon in E. coli is CCG, whereas in humans this is the least used proline codon.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Codon Usage Frequency Table(chart)-Genscript|url=https://www.genscript.com/tools/codon-frequency-table|access-date=2022-02-04|website=www.genscript.com}}</ref>
The [[genome]] of an [[organism]] is inscribed in [[DNA]], or, in the case of some viruses, [[RNA]]. The portion of the genome that codes for a protein or an RNA is called a [[gene]]. Those genes that code for proteins are composed of tri-nucleotide units called '''codons''', each coding for a single amino acid. Each nucleotide sub-unit consists of a [[phosphate]], a [[deoxyribose]] sugar, and one of the four nitrogenous [[nucleobase]]s. The [[purine]] bases [[adenine]] (A) and [[guanine]] (G) are larger and consist of two aromatic rings. The [[pyrimidine]] bases [[cytosine]] (C) and [[thymine]] (T) are smaller and consist of only one aromatic ring. In the double-helix configuration, two strands of DNA are joined to each other by hydrogen bonds in an arrangement known as [[base pair]]ing. These bonds almost always form between an adenine base on one strand and a thymine base on the other strand, or between a cytosine base on one strand and a guanine base on the other. This means that the number of A and T bases will be the same in a given double helix, as will the number of G and C bases.<ref name="MBG">{{cite book | author = Watson JD, Baker TA, Bell SP, Gann A, Levine M, Oosick R. | title = Molecular Biology of the Gene | publisher = Pearson/Benjamin Cummings | location = San Francisco | year = 2008| isbn = 0-8053-9592-X }}</ref>{{rp|102–117}} In RNA, thymine (T) is replaced by [[uracil]] (U), and the deoxyribose is substituted by [[ribose]].<ref name="MBG"/>{{rp|127}}


{{collapse top|title=Human genome codon frequency table<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kazusa.or.jp/codon/cgi-bin/showcodon.cgi?species=9606&aa=1&style=N|title=Codon usage table|website=www.kazusa.or.jp}}</ref>}}
Each protein-coding gene is [[transcription (genetics)|transcribed]] into a molecule of the related RNA polymer. In [[prokaryote]]s, this RNA functions as [[messenger RNA]] or mRNA; in [[eukaryote]]s, the transcript needs to be [[Post-transcriptional modification|processed]] to produce a mature mRNA. The mRNA is, in turn, [[translation (genetics)|translated]] on a [[ribosome]] into a chain of [[amino acid]]s otherwise known as a [[peptide|polypeptide]].<ref name="MBG"/>{{rp|Chp 12}} The process of translation requires [[transfer RNA]]s which are [[covalent]]ly attached to a specific amino acid, [[guanosine triphosphate]] as an energy source, and a number of translation factors. tRNAs have [[anticodons]] complementary to the codons in an mRNA and can be covalently "charged" with specific amino acids at their 3' terminal CCA ends by enzymes known as [[aminoacyl tRNA synthetase]]s, which have high specificity for both their cognate amino acid and tRNA. The high specificity of these enzymes is a major reason why the fidelity of protein translation is maintained.<ref name="MBG"/>{{rp|464–469}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!Codon || AA{{ref label|start|C|C}} || Fraction{{ref label|start|D|D}} || Freq [[per thousand|‰]]{{ref label|start|E|E}} || Number{{ref label|start|F|F}}
|rowspan=17|
!Codon || AA || Fraction || Freq [[per thousand|‰]] || Number
|rowspan=17|
!Codon || AA || Fraction || Freq [[per thousand|‰]] || Number
|rowspan=17|
!Codon || AA || Fraction || Freq [[per thousand|‰]] || Number
|-
|UUU||F||0.46||17.6||714,298||UCU||S||0.19||15.2||618,711||UAU||Y||0.44||12.2||495,699||UGU||C||0.46||10.6||430,311
|-
|UUC||F||0.54||20.3||824,692||UCC||S||0.22||17.7||718,892||UAC||Y||0.56||15.3||622,407||UGC||C||0.54||12.6||513,028
|-
|UUA||L||0.08||7.7||311,881||UCA||S||0.15||12.2||496,448||UAA||*||0.30||1.0||40,285||UGA||*||0.47||1.6||63,237
|-
|UUG||L||0.13||12.9||525,688||UCG||S||0.05||4.4||179,419||UAG||*||0.24||0.8||32,109||UGG||W||1.00||13.2||535,595
|-
|CUU||L||0.13||13.2||536,515||CCU||P||0.29||17.5||713,233||CAU||H||0.42||10.9||441,711||CGU||R||0.08||4.5||184,609
|-
|CUC||L||0.20||19.6||796,638||CCC||P||0.32||19.8||804,620||CAC||H||0.58||15.1||613,713||CGC||R||0.18||10.4||423,516
|-
|CUA||L||0.07||7.2||290,751||CCA||P||0.28||16.9||688,038||CAA||Q||0.27||12.3||501,911||CGA||R||0.11||6.2||250,760
|-
|CUG||L||0.40||39.6||1,611,801||CCG||P||0.11||6.9||281,570||CAG||Q||0.73||34.2||1,391,973||CGG||R||0.20||11.4||464,485
|-
|AUU||I||0.36||16.0||650,473||ACU||T||0.25||13.1||533,609||AAU||N||0.47||17.0||689,701||AGU||S||0.15||12.1||493,429
|-
|AUC||I||0.47||20.8||846,466||ACC||T||0.36||18.9||768,147||AAC||N||0.53||19.1||776,603||AGC||S||0.24||19.5||791,383
|-
|AUA||I||0.17||7.5||304,565||ACA||T||0.28||15.1||614,523||AAA||K||0.43||24.4||993,621||AGA||R||0.21||12.2||494,682
|-
|AUG||M||1.00||22.0||896,005||ACG||T||0.11||6.1||246,105||AAG||K||0.57||31.9||1,295,568||AGG||R||0.21||12.0||486,463
|-
|GUU||V||0.18||11.0||448,607||GCU||A||0.27||18.4||750,096||GAU||D||0.46||21.8||885,429||GGU||G||0.16||10.8||437,126
|-
|GUC||V||0.24||14.5||588,138||GCC||A||0.40||27.7||1,127,679||GAC||D||0.54||25.1||1,020,595||GGC||G||0.34||22.2||903,565
|-
|GUA||V||0.12||7.1||287,712||GCA||A||0.23||15.8||643,471||GAA||E||0.42||29.0||1,177,632||GGA||G||0.25||16.5||669,873
|-
|GUG||V||0.46||28.1||1,143,534||GCG||A||0.11||7.4||299,495||GAG||E||0.58||39.6||1,609,975||GGG||G||0.25||16.5||669,768
|}
{{collapse bottom}}


==Alternative genetic codes==
There are 4³ = 64 different codon combinations possible with a triplet codon of three nucleotides; all 64 codons are assigned to either an amino acid or a stop signal. If, for example, an RNA sequence UUUAAACCC is considered and the [[reading frame]] starts with the first U (by convention, [[DNA#Properties|5' to 3']]), there are three codons, namely, UUU, AAA, and CCC, each of which specifies one amino acid. Therefore, this 9 base RNA sequence will be translated into an amino acid sequence that is three amino acids long.<ref name="MBG"/>{{rp|521–539}} A given amino acid may be encoded by between one and six different codon sequences. A comparison may be made using [[bioinformatics]] tools wherein the codon is similar to a [[Word (data type)|word]], which is the standard data "chunk" and a nucleotide is similar to a [[bit]], in that it is the smallest unit. This allows for powerful comparisons across species as well as within organisms.
{{See also|DNA and RNA codon tables#Alternative codons}}


=== Non-standard amino acids ===
The standard genetic code is shown in the following tables. Table 1 shows which amino acid each of the 64 codons specifies. Table 2 shows which codons specify each of the 20 standard amino acids involved in translation. These are called forward and reverse codon tables, respectively. For example, the codon "AAU" represents the amino acid [[asparagine]], and "UGU" and "UGC" represent [[cysteine]] (standard three-letter designations, Asn and Cys, respectively).<ref name="MBG"/>{{rp|522}}
In some proteins, non-standard amino acids are substituted for standard stop codons, depending on associated signal sequences in the messenger RNA. For example, UGA can code for [[selenocysteine]] and UAG can code for [[pyrrolysine]]. Selenocysteine came to be seen as the 21st amino acid, and pyrrolysine as the 22nd.<ref name=Zhang2005/> Both selenocysteine and pyrrolysine may be present in the same organism.<ref name=Zhang2005>{{cite journal | vauthors = Zhang Y, Baranov PV, Atkins JF, Gladyshev VN | title = Pyrrolysine and selenocysteine use dissimilar decoding strategies | journal = The Journal of Biological Chemistry | volume = 280 | issue = 21 | pages = 20740–51 | date = May 2005 | pmid = 15788401 | doi = 10.1074/jbc.M501458200 | url = http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1071&context=biochemgladyshev | doi-access = free }}</ref> Although the genetic code is normally fixed in an organism, the achaeal prokaryote ''[[Acetohalobium arabaticum]]'' can expand its genetic code from 20 to 21 amino acids (by including pyrrolysine) under different conditions of growth.<ref name=Prat2012>{{cite journal | vauthors = Prat L, Heinemann IU, Aerni HR, Rinehart J, O'Donoghue P, Söll D | title = Carbon source-dependent expansion of the genetic code in bacteria | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 109 | issue = 51 | pages = 21070–5 | date = Dec 2012 | pmid = 23185002 | pmc = 3529041 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.1218613110 | bibcode = 2012PNAS..10921070P | doi-access = free }}</ref>


=== Variations ===
==RNA codon table==<!-- This section is linked from [[Amino acid]] and [[DNA codon table]]; [[Codon table]], [[Codon dictionary]], [[RNA codon table]] redirect here -->
{{Codon table|T=U}}
{{Inverse codon table|T=U}}

==DNA codon table==
{{main|DNA codon table}}
The DNA codon table is essentially identical to that for RNA, but with [[Uracil|U]] replaced by [[Thymine|T]].

==Variations to the standard genetic code==
{{See also|List of genetic codes}}
{{See also|List of genetic codes}}
[[File:FACIL genetic code logo.png|thumb|upright=2.3|Genetic code [[sequence logo|logo]] of the ''Globobulimina pseudospinescens'' mitochondrial genome by FACIL. The program is able to correctly infer that the [[The mold, protozoan, and coelenterate mitochondrial code and the mycoplasma/spiroplasma code|Protozoan Mitochondrial Code]] is in use.<ref name="DutilhJurgelenaite2011"/> The logo shows the 64 codons from left to right, predicted alternatives in red (relative to the standard genetic code). Red line: stop codons. The height of each amino acid in the stack shows how often it is aligned to the codon in homologous protein domains. The stack height indicates the support for the prediction.]]
While slight variations on the standard code had been predicted earlier,<ref>{{cite journal |author=Crick FHC, Orgel LE |title=Directed panspermia |journal=Icarus |volume=19 |pages=341–6 |year=1973 |quote=It is a little surprising that organisms with somewhat different codes do not coexist. |doi=10.1016/0019-1035(73)90110-3 |issue=3 |bibcode=1973Icar...19..341C}} (p. 344) ([http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/comdesc/section1.html Further discussion])</ref> none were discovered until 1979, when researchers studying [[human mitochondrial genetics|human mitochondrial genes]] discovered they used an alternative code. Many slight variants have been discovered since then,<ref name="url_The_Genetic_Codes_NCBI"/> including various alternative mitochondrial codes,<ref>{{cite journal | author = Jukes TH, Osawa S | title = The genetic code in mitochondria and chloroplasts | journal = Experientia | volume = 46 | issue = 11–12 | pages = 1117–26 | date = December 1990 | pmid = 2253709 | doi = 10.1007/BF01936921 }}</ref> and small variants such as translation of the codon UGA as tryptophan in ''[[Mycoplasma]]'' species, and translation of CUG as a serine rather than a leucine in yeasts of the "CTG clade" (''[[Candida albicans]]'' is member of this group).<ref>{{cite journal | author = Fitzpatrick DA, Logue ME, Stajich JE, Butler G | title = A fungal phylogeny based on 42 complete genomes derived from supertree and combined gene analysis | journal = BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume = 6 | pages = 99 | date = 1 January 2006 | pmid = 17121679 | pmc = 1679813 | doi = 10.1186/1471-2148-6-99 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | author = Santos MA, Tuite MF | title = The CUG codon is decoded ''in vivo'' as serine and not leucine in ''Candida albicans'' | journal = Nucleic Acids Research | volume = 23 | issue = 9 | pages = 1481–6 | year = 1995 | pmid = 7784200 | pmc = 306886 | doi = 10.1093/nar/23.9.1481 | last2 = Tuite | first2 = M.F. }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | author = Butler G, Rasmussen MD, Lin MF, Santos MA, Sakthikumar S, Munro CA, Rheinbay E, Grabherr M, Forche A, Reedy JL, Agrafioti I, Arnaud MB, Bates S, Brown AJ, Brunke S, Costanzo MC, Fitzpatrick DA, de Groot PW, Harris D, Hoyer LL, Hube B, Klis FM, Kodira C, Lennard N, Logue ME, Martin R, Neiman AM, Nikolaou E, Quail MA, Quinn J, Santos MC, Schmitzberger FF, Sherlock G, Shah P, Silverstein KA, Skrzypek MS, Soll D, Staggs R, Stansfield I, Stumpf MP, Sudbery PE, Srikantha T, Zeng Q, Berman J, Berriman M, Heitman J, Gow NA, Lorenz MC, Birren BW, Kellis M, Cuomo CA | title = Evolution of pathogenicity and sexual reproduction in eight ''Candida'' genomes | journal = Nature | volume = 459 | issue = 7247 | pages = 657–62 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19465905 | pmc = 2834264 | doi = 10.1038/nature08064 }}</ref> Because viruses must use the same genetic code as their hosts, modifications to the standard genetic code could interfere with the synthesis or functioning of viral proteins. However, some viruses (such as [[totivirus]]es) have adapted to the genetic code modification of the host.<ref name="pmid23638388">{{cite journal | author = Taylor DJ, Ballinger MJ, Bowman SM, Bruenn JA | title = Virus-host co-evolution under a modified nuclear genetic code | journal = PeerJ | volume = 1 | pages = e50 | year = 2013 | pmid = 23638388 | pmc = 3628385 | doi = 10.7717/peerj.50 }}</ref> In [[bacteria]] and [[archaea]], GUG and UUG are common start codons, but in rare cases, certain proteins may use alternative start codons not normally used by that species.<ref name="url_The_Genetic_Codes_NCBI">{{cite web | url = http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Utils/wprintgc.cgi?mode=c | title = The Genetic Codes | author = Elzanowski A, Ostell J | date = 2008-04-07| publisher = National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) | accessdate = 2010-03-10 }}</ref>
There was originally a simple and widely accepted argument that the genetic code should be universal: namely, that any variation in the genetic code would be lethal to the organism (although Crick had stated that viruses were an exception). This is known as the "frozen accident" argument for the universality of the genetic code. However, in his seminal paper on the origins of the genetic code in 1968, Francis Crick still stated that the universality of the genetic code in all organisms was an unproven assumption, and was probably not true in some instances. He predicted that "The code is universal (the same in all organisms) or nearly so".<ref>Francis Crick, 1968. "The Origin of the Genetic Code". J. Mol. Biol.</ref> The first variation was discovered in 1979, by researchers studying [[human mitochondrial genetics|human mitochondrial genes]].<ref>
{{cite journal |vauthors=Barrell BG, Bankier AT, Drouin J |date=1979 |title=A different genetic code in human mitochondria |journal=Nature |volume=282 |issue=5735 |pages=189–194 |bibcode=1979Natur.282..189B |doi=10.1038/282189a0 |pmid=226894 |s2cid=4335828}} ([https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/226894])</ref> Many slight variants were discovered thereafter,<ref name="url_The_Genetic_Codes_NCBI"/> including various alternative mitochondrial codes.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Jukes TH, Osawa S | s2cid = 19264964 | title = The genetic code in mitochondria and chloroplasts | journal = Experientia | volume = 46 | issue = 11–12 | pages = 1117–26 | date = Dec 1990 | pmid = 2253709 | doi = 10.1007/BF01936921 }}</ref> These minor variants for example involve translation of the codon UGA as [[tryptophan]] in ''[[Mycoplasma]]'' species, and translation of CUG as a serine rather than leucine in yeasts of the "CTG clade" (such as ''[[Candida albicans]]'').<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Fitzpatrick DA, Logue ME, Stajich JE, Butler G | title = A fungal phylogeny based on 42 complete genomes derived from supertree and combined gene analysis | journal = BMC Evolutionary Biology | volume = 6 | pages = 99 | date = 1 January 2006 | pmid = 17121679 | pmc = 1679813 | doi = 10.1186/1471-2148-6-99 | doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Santos MA, Tuite MF | title = The CUG codon is decoded in vivo as serine and not leucine in Candida albicans | journal = Nucleic Acids Research | volume = 23 | issue = 9 | pages = 1481–6 | date = May 1995 | pmid = 7784200 | pmc = 306886 | doi = 10.1093/nar/23.9.1481 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Butler G, Rasmussen MD, Lin MF, Santos MA, Sakthikumar S, Munro CA, Rheinbay E, Grabherr M, Forche A, Reedy JL, Agrafioti I, Arnaud MB, Bates S, Brown AJ, Brunke S, Costanzo MC, Fitzpatrick DA, de Groot PW, Harris D, Hoyer LL, Hube B, Klis FM, Kodira C, Lennard N, Logue ME, Martin R, Neiman AM, Nikolaou E, Quail MA, Quinn J, Santos MC, Schmitzberger FF, Sherlock G, Shah P, Silverstein KA, Skrzypek MS, Soll D, Staggs R, Stansfield I, Stumpf MP, Sudbery PE, Srikantha T, Zeng Q, Berman J, Berriman M, Heitman J, Gow NA, Lorenz MC, Birren BW, Kellis M, Cuomo CA | display-authors = 3 | title = Evolution of pathogenicity and sexual reproduction in eight Candida genomes | journal = Nature | volume = 459 | issue = 7247 | pages = 657–62 | date = Jun 2009 | pmid = 19465905 | pmc = 2834264 | doi = 10.1038/nature08064 | bibcode = 2009Natur.459..657B }}</ref> Because viruses must use the same genetic code as their hosts, modifications to the standard genetic code could interfere with viral protein synthesis or functioning. However, viruses such as [[totivirus]]es have adapted to the host's genetic code modification.<ref name="pmid23638388">{{cite journal | vauthors = Taylor DJ, Ballinger MJ, Bowman SM, Bruenn JA | title = Virus-host co-evolution under a modified nuclear genetic code | journal = PeerJ | volume = 1 | pages = e50 | date = 2013 | pmid = 23638388 | pmc = 3628385 | doi = 10.7717/peerj.50 | doi-access = free }}</ref> In [[bacteria]] and [[archaea]], GUG and UUG are common start codons. In rare cases, certain proteins may use alternative start codons.<ref name="url_The_Genetic_Codes_NCBI">{{cite web | url = https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Utils/wprintgc.cgi?mode=c | title = The Genetic Codes | vauthors = Elzanowski A, Ostell J | date = 2008-04-07| publisher = National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) | access-date = 2010-03-10 }}</ref>
Surprisingly, variations in the interpretation of the genetic code exist also in human nuclear-encoded genes: In 2016, researchers studying the translation of malate dehydrogenase found that in about 4% of the mRNAs encoding this enzyme the stop codon is naturally used to encode the amino acids tryptophan and arginine.<ref name="pmid27881739">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hofhuis J, Schueren F, Nötzel C, Lingner T, Gärtner J, Jahn O, Thoms S | title = The functional readthrough extension of malate dehydrogenase reveals a modification of the genetic code | journal = Open Biol | volume = 6 | issue = 11 | pages = 160246 | date = 2016 | pmid = 27881739 | doi = 10.1098/rsob.160246 | pmc=5133446}}</ref> This type of recoding is induced by a high-readthrough stop codon context<ref name="pmid25247702">{{cite journal | vauthors = Schueren F, Lingner T, George R, Hofhuis J, Gartner J, Thoms S | title = Peroxisomal lactate dehydrogenase is generated by translational readthrough in mammals | journal = eLife | volume = 3 | pages = e03640 | date = 2014 | pmid = 25247702 | doi = 10.7554/eLife.03640 | pmc=4359377 | doi-access = free }}</ref> and it is referred to as ''functional translational readthrough''.<ref name="PMC4973966">{{cite journal|author=F. Schueren und S. Thoms |title=Functional Translational Readthrough: A Systems Biology Perspective |journal=PLOS Genetics |volume=12 |issue=8 |page=e1006196 |date=2016 |pmid=27490485 |pmc=4973966 |doi=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006196 |doi-access=free }}</ref>


In certain proteins, non-standard amino acids are substituted for standard stop codons, depending on associated signal sequences in the messenger RNA. For example, UGA can code for [[selenocysteine]] and UAG can code for [[pyrrolysine]]. Selenocysteine is now viewed as the 21st amino acid, and pyrrolysine is viewed as the 22nd.<ref name="url_The_Genetic_Codes_NCBI"/> Unlike selenocysteine, pyrrolysine encoded UAG is translated with the participation of a dedicated aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase.<ref name=Krzycki2005>{{cite journal | author = Krzycki JA | title = The direct genetic encoding of pyrrolysine | journal = Current Opinion in Microbiology | volume = 8 | issue = 6 | pages = 706–712 | year = 2005 | pmid = 16256420 | pmc = | doi = 10.1016/j.mib.2005.10.009 }}</ref> Both selenocysteine and pyrrolysine may be present in the same organism.<ref name=Zhang2005>{{cite journal | author = Zhang Y, Baranov PV, Atkins JF, Gladyshev VN | title = Pyrrolysine and Selenocysteine Use Dissimilar Decoding Strategies | journal = Journal of Biological Chemistry | volume = 280 | issue = 21 | pages = 20740–20751 | year = 2005 | pmid = 15788401 | pmc = | doi = 10.1074/jbc.M501458200 }}</ref> Although the genetic code is normally fixed in an organism the achaeal prokaryote ''[[Acetohalobium arabaticum]]'' can expand its genetic code from 20 to 21 amino acids (by including pyrrolysine) under different conditions of growth.<ref name=Prat2012>{{cite journal | author = Prat L, Heinemann IU, Aerni HR, Rinehart J, O'Donoghue P, Söll D | title = Carbon source-dependent expansion of the genetic code in bacteria | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences | volume = 109 | issue = 51 | pages = 21070–21075 | year = 2012 | pmid = 23185002 | pmc = 3529041 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.1218613110 }}</ref>
Despite these differences, all known naturally occurring codes are very similar. The coding mechanism is the same for all organisms: three-base codons, [[Transfer RNA|tRNA]], ribosomes, single direction reading and translating single codons into single amino acids.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Kubyshkin V, Acevedo-Rocha CG, Budisa N | title = On universal coding events in protein biogenesis | journal = Bio Systems | volume = 164 | pages = 16–25 | date = February 2018 | pmid = 29030023 | doi = 10.1016/j.biosystems.2017.10.004 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2018BiSys.164...16K }}</ref> The most extreme variations occur in certain ciliates where the meaning of stop codons depends on their position within mRNA. When close to the 3' end they act as terminators while in internal positions they either code for amino acids as in ''[[Condylostoma]] magnum''<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Heaphy SM, Mariotti M, Gladyshev VN, Atkins JF, Baranov PV | title = Novel Ciliate Genetic Code Variants Including the Reassignment of All Three Stop Codons to Sense Codons in ''Condylostoma magnum'' | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 33 | issue = 11 | pages = 2885–2889 | date = November 2016 | pmid = 27501944 | pmc = 5062323 | doi = 10.1093/molbev/msw166 }}</ref> or trigger [[ribosomal frameshift]]ing as in ''[[Euplotes]]''.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Lobanov AV, Heaphy SM, Turanov AA, Gerashchenko MV, Pucciarelli S, Devaraj RR, Xie F, Petyuk VA, Smith RD, Klobutcher LA, Atkins JF, Miceli C, Hatfield DL, Baranov PV, Gladyshev VN | display-authors = 6 | title = Position-dependent termination and widespread obligatory frameshifting in ''Euplotes'' translation | journal = Nature Structural & Molecular Biology | volume = 24 | issue = 1 | pages = 61–68 | date = January 2017 | pmid = 27870834 | pmc = 5295771 | doi = 10.1038/nsmb.3330 }}</ref>


The origins and variation of the genetic code, including the mechanisms behind the evolvability of the genetic code, have been widely studied,<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Koonin EV, Novozhilov AS | title = Origin and Evolution of the Genetic Code: The Universal Enigma | journal = IUBMB Life | volume = 61 | issue = 2 | pages = 91–111 | date = February 2009 | doi = 10.1002/iub.146 | pmid = 19117371 | pmc = 3293468 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sengupta S, Higgs PG | title = Pathways of Genetic Code Evolution in Ancient and Modern Organisms | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 80 | issue = 5–6 | pages = 229–243 | date = June 2015 | doi = 10.1007/s00239-015-9686-8 | pmid = 26054480 | bibcode = 2015JMolE..80..229S | s2cid = 15542587 }}</ref> and some studies have been done experimentally evolving the genetic code of some organisms.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Xie J, Schultz PG | title = A chemical toolkit for proteins--an expanded genetic code | journal = Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology | volume = 7 | issue = 10 | pages = 775–782 | date = August 2006 | doi = 10.1038/nrm2005 | pmid = 16926858 | s2cid = 19385756 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Neumann H, Wang K, Davis L, Garcia-Alai M, Chin JW | title = Encoding multiple unnatural amino acids via evolution of a quadruplet-decoding ribosome | journal = Nature | volume = 18 | issue = 464 | pages = 441–444 | date = March 2010 | doi = 10.1038/nrm2005 | pmid = 16926858 | s2cid = 19385756 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Liu CC, Schultz PG | title = Adding new chemistries to the genetic code | journal = Annual Review of Biochemistry | volume = 79 | pages = 413–444 | date = 2010 | doi = 10.1146/annurev.biochem.052308.105824 | pmid = 20307192 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Chin JW | title = Expanding and reprogramming the genetic code of cells and animals | journal = Annual Review of Biochemistry | volume = 83 | pages = 379–408 | date = February 2014 | doi = 10.1146/annurev-biochem-060713-035737 | pmid = 24555827 }}</ref>
Despite these differences, all known naturally-occurring codes are very similar to each other, and the coding mechanism is the same for all organisms: three-base codons, tRNA, ribosomes, reading the code in the same direction and translating the code three letters at a time into sequences of amino acids.


=== Inference ===
[[File:FACIL genetic code logo.png|thumb|Genetic code logo of the Globobulimina pseudospinescens mitochondrial genome. The logo shows the 64 codons from left to right, predicted alternatives in red (relative to the standard genetic code). Red line: stop codons. The height of each amino acid in the stack shows how often it is aligned to the codon in homologous protein domains. The stack height indicates the support for the prediction.]]
Variant genetic codes used by an organism can be inferred by identifying highly conserved genes encoded in that genome, and comparing its codon usage to the amino acids in homologous proteins of other organisms. For example, the program FACIL infers a genetic code by searching which amino acids in homologous protein domains are most often aligned to every codon. The resulting amino acid (or stop codon) probabilities for each codon are displayed in a genetic code logo.<ref name="DutilhJurgelenaite2011">{{cite journal | vauthors = Dutilh BE, Jurgelenaite R, Szklarczyk R, van Hijum SA, Harhangi HR, Schmid M, de Wild B, Françoijs KJ, Stunnenberg HG, Strous M, Jetten MS, Op den Camp HJ, Huynen MA | title = FACIL: Fast and Accurate Genetic Code Inference and Logo | journal = Bioinformatics | volume = 27 | issue = 14 | pages = 1929–33 | date = Jul 2011 | pmid = 21653513 | doi = 10.1093/bioinformatics/btr316 | pmc=3129529}}</ref>


As of January 2022, the most complete survey of genetic codes is done by Shulgina and Eddy, who screened 250,000 prokaryotic genomes using their Codetta tool. This tool uses a similar approach to FACIL with a larger [[Pfam]] database. Despite the NCBI already providing 27 translation tables, the authors were able to find new 5 genetic code variations (corroborated by tRNA mutations) and correct several misattributions.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Shulgina |first1=Y |last2=Eddy |first2=SR |title=A computational screen for alternative genetic codes in over 250,000 genomes. |journal=eLife |date=9 November 2021 |volume=10 |doi=10.7554/eLife.71402 |pmid=34751130|pmc=8629427 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Codetta was later used to analyze genetic code change in [[ciliates]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=W |last2=Geng |first2=Y |last3=Zhang |first3=B |last4=Yan |first4=Y |last5=Zhao |first5=F |last6=Miao |first6=M |title=Stop or Not: Genome-Wide Profiling of Reassigned Stop Codons in Ciliates. |journal=Molecular Biology and Evolution |date=4 April 2023 |volume=40 |issue=4 |doi=10.1093/molbev/msad064 |pmid=36952281 |pmc=1008964}}</ref>
===Predicting the genetic code===
The genetic code used by a genome can be predicted by identifying the genes encoded on that genome, and comparing the codons on the DNA to the amino acids in homologous proteins in other genomes. The evolutionary conservation of protein sequences makes it possible to predict the amino acid translation for each codon as the one that is most often aligned to that codon. The program [http://www.cmbi.ru.nl/FACIL FACIL]<ref name="pmid16260173">{{cite journal | author = Dutilh BE, Jurgelenaite R, Szklarczyk R, van Hijum SA, Harhangi HR, Schmid M, de Wild B, Françoijs KJ, Stunnenberg HG, Strous M, Jetten MS, Op den Camp HJ, Huynen MA | title = FACIL: fast and accurate genetic code inference and logo | journal = Bioinformatics | volume = 27 | issue = 6 | pages = 1929–1933 | date = July 2011 | pmid = 21653513 | pmc = 3129529 | doi = 10.1093/bioinformatics/btr316 }}</ref> allows the automated prediction of the genetic code, searching which amino acids in homologous protein domains are most often aligned to every codon. The resulting amino acid probabilities for each codon are displayed in a genetic code logo, that also shows the support for a stop codon.


==Origin==
===Expanded genetic code===
The genetic code is a key part of the [[origin of life|history of life]], according to one version of which self-replicating RNA molecules preceded life as we know it. This is the [[RNA world hypothesis]]. Under this hypothesis, any model for the emergence of the genetic code is intimately related to a model of the transfer from [[ribozyme]]s (RNA enzymes) to proteins as the principal enzymes in cells. In line with the RNA world hypothesis, transfer RNA molecules appear to have evolved before modern [[aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase]]s, so the latter cannot be part of the explanation of its patterns.<ref name=De1998>{{cite journal | vauthors = Ribas de Pouplana L, Turner RJ, Steer BA, Schimmel P | title = Genetic code origins: tRNAs older than their synthetases? | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 95 | issue = 19 | pages = 11295–300 | date = Sep 1998 | pmid = 9736730 | pmc = 21636 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.95.19.11295 | bibcode = 1998PNAS...9511295D | doi-access = free }}</ref>
{{main|Expanded genetic code}}
{{see also|Nucleic acid analogues}}
Since 2001, 40 non-natural amino acids have been added into protein by creating a unique codon (recoding) and a corresponding transfer-RNA:aminoacyl&nbsp;– tRNA-synthetase pair to encode it with diverse physicochemical and biological properties in order to be used as a tool to exploring [[protein structure]] and function or to create novel or enhanced proteins.<ref name="pmid16260173">{{cite journal | author = Xie J, Schultz PG | title = Adding amino acids to the genetic repertoire | journal = Current Opinion in Chemical Biology | volume = 9 | issue = 6 | pages = 548–54 | date = December 2005 | pmid = 16260173 | doi = 10.1016/j.cbpa.2005.10.011 }}</ref><ref name="pmid19318213">{{cite journal | author = Wang Q, Parrish AR, Wang L | title = Expanding the genetic code for biological studies | journal = Chem. Biol. | volume = 16 | issue = 3 | pages = 323–36 | date = March 2009 | pmid = 19318213 | pmc = 2696486 | doi = 10.1016/j.chembiol.2009.03.001 }}</ref>


A hypothetical randomly evolved genetic code further motivates a biochemical or evolutionary model for its origin. If amino acids were randomly assigned to triplet codons, there would be 1.5&nbsp;×&nbsp;10<sup>84</sup> possible genetic codes.<ref name="isbn0-674-05075-4">{{cite book|first=Michael |last=Yarus|author-link=Michael Yarus|title=Life from an RNA World: The Ancestor Within|url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=-YLBMmJE1WwC}}|year=2010|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-05075-4}}</ref>{{rp|[{{google books |plainurl=y |id=-YLBMmJE1WwC|page=163}} 163]}} This number is found by calculating the number of ways that 21 items (20 amino acids plus one stop) can be placed in 64 bins, wherein each item is used at least once.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/319970|title=Mathematica function for # possible arrangements of items in bins? – Online Technical Discussion Groups—Wolfram Community|website=community.wolfram.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-02-03}}</ref> However, the distribution of codon assignments in the genetic code is nonrandom.<ref name="pmid9732450">{{cite journal | vauthors = Freeland SJ, Hurst LD | s2cid = 20130470 | title = The genetic code is one in a million | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 47 | issue = 3 | pages = 238–48 | date = Sep 1998 | pmid = 9732450 | doi = 10.1007/PL00006381 | bibcode = 1998JMolE..47..238F }}</ref> In particular, the genetic code clusters certain amino acid assignments.
H. Murakami and M. Sisido have extended some codons to have four and five bases. [[Steven A. Benner]] constructed a functional 65th (''in vivo'') codon.<ref name="isbn0-387-22046-1">{{cite book | author = Simon M | title = Emergent computation: emphasizing bioinformatics | publisher = AIP Press/Springer Science+Business Media | location = New York | year = 2005 | pages = 105–106 | isbn = 0-387-22046-1 }}</ref>


Amino acids that share the same biosynthetic pathway tend to have the same first base in their codons. This could be an evolutionary relic of an early, simpler genetic code with fewer amino acids that later evolved to code a larger set of amino acids.<ref name="pmid2650752">{{cite journal | vauthors = Taylor FJ, Coates D | title = The code within the codons | journal = Bio Systems | volume = 22 | issue = 3 | pages = 177–87 | date = 1989 | pmid = 2650752 | doi = 10.1016/0303-2647(89)90059-2 | bibcode = 1989BiSys..22..177T }}</ref> It could also reflect steric and chemical properties that had another effect on the codon during its evolution. Amino acids with similar physical properties also tend to have similar codons,<ref name="pmid2514270">{{cite journal | vauthors = Di Giulio M | s2cid = 20803686 | title = The extension reached by the minimization of the polarity distances during the evolution of the genetic code | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 29 | issue = 4 | pages = 288–93 | date = Oct 1989 | pmid = 2514270 | doi = 10.1007/BF02103616 | bibcode = 1989JMolE..29..288D }}</ref><ref name="pmid6928661">{{cite journal | vauthors = Wong JT | title = Role of minimization of chemical distances between amino acids in the evolution of the genetic code | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 77 | issue = 2 | pages = 1083–6 | date = Feb 1980 | pmid = 6928661 | pmc = 348428 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.77.2.1083 | bibcode = 1980PNAS...77.1083W | doi-access = free }}</ref> reducing the problems caused by point mutations and mistranslations.<ref name="pmid9732450"/>
==Origin==
If amino acids were randomly assigned to triplet codons, then there would be 1.5 x 10<sup>84</sup> possible genetic codes to choose from.<ref name="isbn0-674-05075-4">{{cite book | author = Yarus M | title = Life from an RNA World: The Ancestor Within | publisher = Harvard University Press | location = Cambridge | year = 2010 | pages = 163 | isbn = 0-674-05075-4 }}</ref>{{rp|163}} This number is found by calculating how many ways there are to place 21 items (20 amino acids plus one stop) in 64 bins, wherein each item is used at least once. [http://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/319970] The genetic code is used by all known forms of life is nearly universal with few minor variations. One could ask: Has all life on Earth descended from a single bacterium that mutated to make the final optimization in the genetic code? Many hypotheses on the evolutionary origins of the genetic code have been proposed.


Given the non-random genetic triplet coding scheme, a tenable hypothesis for the origin of genetic code could address multiple aspects of the codon table, such as absence of codons for D-amino acids, secondary codon patterns for some amino acids, confinement of synonymous positions to third position, the small set of only 20 amino acids (instead of a number approaching 64), and the relation of stop codon patterns to amino acid coding patterns.<ref name="pmid21779963">{{cite journal | vauthors = Erives A | title = A model of proto-anti-codon RNA enzymes requiring L-amino acid homochirality | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 73 | issue = 1–2 | pages = 10–22 | date = Aug 2011 | pmid = 21779963 | doi = 10.1007/s00239-011-9453-4 | pmc=3223571| bibcode = 2011JMolE..73...10E }}</ref>
Four themes run through the many hypotheses about the evolution of the genetic code:<ref name="pmid10366854">{{cite journal | author = Knight RD, Freeland SJ, Landweber LF | title = Selection, history and chemistry: the three faces of the genetic code | journal = Trends Biochem. Sci. | volume = 24 | issue = 6 | pages = 241–7 | date = June 1999 | pmid = 10366854 | doi = 10.1016/S0968-0004(99)01392-4 }}</ref>
* '''Chemical principles''' govern specific RNA interaction with amino acids. Experiments with [[aptamer]]s showed that some amino acids have a selective chemical affinity for the base triplets that code for them.<ref name="pmid9751648">{{cite journal | author = Knight RD, Landweber LF | title = Rhyme or reason: RNA-arginine interactions and the genetic code | journal = Chem. Biol. | volume = 5 | issue = 9 | pages = R215–20 | date = September 1998 | pmid = 9751648 | doi = 10.1016/S1074-5521(98)90001-1 }}</ref> Recent experiments show that of the 8 amino acids tested, 6 show some RNA triplet-amino acid association.<ref name="isbn0-674-05075-4"/>{{rp|170}}<ref name="pmid19795157">{{cite journal | author = Yarus M, Widmann JJ, Knight R | title = RNA-amino acid binding: a stereochemical era for the genetic code | journal = J. Mol. Evol. | volume = 69 | issue = 5 | pages = 406–29 | date = November 2009 | pmid = 19795157 | doi = 10.1007/s00239-009-9270-1 }}</ref>


Three main hypotheses address the origin of the genetic code. Many models belong to one of them or to a hybrid:<ref name="pmid10742043">{{cite journal | vauthors = Freeland SJ, Knight RD, Landweber LF, Hurst LD | title = Early fixation of an optimal genetic code | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 17 | issue = 4 | pages = 511–18 | date = Apr 2000 | pmid = 10742043 | doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a026331| doi-access = free }}</ref>
* '''Biosynthetic expansion'''. The standard modern genetic code grew from a simpler earlier code through a process of "biosynthetic expansion". Here the idea is that primordial life "discovered" new amino acids (for example, as by-products of [[metabolism]]) and later incorporated some of these into the machinery of genetic coding. Although much circumstantial evidence has been found to suggest that fewer different amino acids were used in the past than today,<ref name="pmid12270892">{{cite journal | author = Brooks DJ, Fresco JR, Lesk AM, Singh M | title = Evolution of amino acid frequencies in proteins over deep time: inferred order of introduction of amino acids into the genetic code | journal = Mol. Biol. Evol. | volume = 19 | issue = 10 | pages = 1645–55 | date = October 2002 | pmid = 12270892 | doi = 10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a003988 | url = http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/10/1645.long }}</ref> precise and detailed hypotheses about which amino acids entered the code in what order have proved far more controversial.<ref name="pmid9115171">{{cite journal | author = Amirnovin R | title = An analysis of the metabolic theory of the origin of the genetic code | journal = J. Mol. Evol. | volume = 44 | issue = 5 | pages = 473–6 | date = May 1997 | pmid = 9115171 | doi = 10.1007/PL00006170 }}</ref><ref name="pmid11087835">{{cite journal | author = Ronneberg TA, Landweber LF, Freeland SJ | title = Testing a biosynthetic theory of the genetic code: fact or artifact? | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. | volume = 97 | issue = 25 | pages = 13690–5 | date = December 2000 | pmid = 11087835 | pmc = 17637 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.250403097 | bibcode = 2000PNAS...9713690R }}</ref>
* '''Natural selection''' has led to codon assignments of the genetic code that minimize the effects of [[mutations]].<ref name="pmid14604186">{{cite journal | author = Freeland SJ, Wu T, Keulmann N | title = The case for an error minimizing standard genetic code | journal = Orig Life Evol Biosph | volume = 33 | issue = 4–5 | pages = 457–77 | date = October 2003 | pmid = 14604186 | doi = 10.1023/A:1025771327614 }}</ref> A recent hypothesis<ref name="pmid19479032">{{cite journal | author = Baranov PV, Venin M, Provan G | title = Codon size reduction as the origin of the triplet genetic code | journal = PLoS ONE | volume = 4 | issue = 5 | pages = e5708 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19479032 | pmc = 2682656 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0005708 | editor1-last = Gemmell | bibcode = 2009PLoSO...4.5708B | editor1-first = Neil John }}</ref> suggests that the triplet code was derived from codes that used longer than triplet codons (such as quadruplet codons). Longer than triplet decoding would have higher degree of codon redundancy and would be more error resistant than the triplet decoding. This feature could allow accurate decoding in the absence of highly complex translational machinery such as the [[ribosome]] and before cells began making ribosomes.
* '''Information channels:''' [[information theory|Information-theoretic]] approaches model the process of translating the genetic code into corresponding amino acids as an error-prone information channel.<ref name="pmid17826800">{{cite journal | author = Tlusty T | title = A model for the emergence of the genetic code as a transition in a noisy information channel | journal = [[J Theor Biol]] | volume = 249 | issue = 2 | pages = 331–42 | date = Nov 2007 | pmid = 17826800 | doi = 10.1016/j.jtbi.2007.07.029 }}</ref> The inherent noise (that is, the error) in the channel poses the organism with a fundamental question: how can a genetic code be constructed to withstand the impact of noise<ref>{{cite book |author= Sonneborn TM |editors=Bryson, V., Vogel, H.|title=Evolving genes and proteins |publisher=Academic Press|location=New York |year=1965|pages=377–397}}</ref> while accurately and efficiently translating information? These [[rate-distortion theory|“rate-distortion”]] models<ref name="pmid 18352335">{{cite journal | author = Tlusty T | title = Rate-distortion scenario for the emergence and evolution of noisy molecular codes | journal = Phys. Rev. Lett. | volume = 100 | issue = 4 | pages = 048101 | date = Feb 2008 | pmid = 18352335 | doi = 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.048101 | arxiv = 1007.4149 | bibcode = 2008PhRvL.100d8101T }}</ref> suggest that the genetic code originated as a result of the interplay of the three conflicting evolutionary forces: the needs for diverse amino-acids,<ref name="pmid16838217">{{cite journal | author = Sella G, Ardell DH | title = The coevolution of genes and genetic codes: Crick's frozen accident revisited | journal = J. Mol. Evol. | volume = 63 | issue = 3 | pages = 297–313 | date = Jul 2006 | pmid = 16838217 | doi = 10.1007/s00239-004-0176-7 }}</ref> for error-tolerance<ref name="pmid14604186"/> and for minimal cost of resources. The code emerges at a coding transition when the mapping of codons to amino-acids becomes nonrandom. The emergence of the code is governed by the topology defined by the probable errors and is related to the [[map coloring problem]].<ref name="pmid 20558115">{{cite journal | author = Tlusty T | title = A colorful origin for the genetic code: Information theory, statistical mechanics and the emergence of molecular codes | journal = Phys. Life. Rev. | volume = 7 | issue = 3 | pages = 362–376 | date = Sep 2010 | pmid = 20558115 | doi = 10.1016/j.plrev.2010.06.002 | arxiv = 1007.3906 | bibcode = 2010PhLRv...7..362T }}</ref>
Transfer RNA molecules appear to have evolved before modern [[aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase]]s, so the latter cannot be part of the explanation of its patterns.<ref name=De1998>{{cite journal | author = Ribas de Pouplana L, Turner RJ, Steer BA, Schimmel P | title = Genetic code origins: tRNAs older than their synthetases? | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. | volume = 95 | issue = 19 | pages = 11295–300 | date = September 1998 | pmid = 9736730 | pmc = 21636 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.95.19.11295 | bibcode = 1998PNAS...9511295D }}</ref>


Models encompassing aspects of two or more of the above themes have also been explored. For example, models based on [[signaling game]]s combine elements of game theory, natural selection and information channels. Such models have been used to suggest that the first polypeptides were likely short and had some use other than enzymatic function. Game theoretic models have also suggested that the organization of RNA strings into cells may have been necessary to prevent "deceptive" use of the genetic code, i.e. preventing the ancient equivalent of viruses from overwhelming the RNA world.<ref name="pmid23985735">{{cite journal | author = Jee J, Sundstrom A, Massey SE, Mishra B | title = What can information-asymmetric games tell us about the context of Crick's "Frozen Accident?" | journal = J R Soc Interface | volume = 10 | issue = 88 | pages = 20130614 | year = 2013 | pmid = 23985735 | pmc = 3785830 | doi = 10.1098/rsif.2013.0614 }}</ref>
*Random freeze: the genetic code was randomly created. For example, early [[tRNA]]-like ribozymes may have had different affinities for amino acids, with codons emerging from another part of the ribozyme that exhibited random variability. Once enough [[peptide]]s were coded for, any major random change in the genetic code would have been lethal; hence it became "frozen".<ref name="pmid4887876">{{cite journal | vauthors = Crick FH | title = The origin of the genetic code | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 38 | issue = 3 | pages = 367–79 | date = Dec 1968 | pmid = 4887876 | doi=10.1016/0022-2836(68)90392-6| s2cid = 4144681 }}</ref>
*Stereochemical affinity: the genetic code is a result of a high affinity between each amino acid and its codon or anti-codon; the latter option implies that pre-tRNA molecules matched their corresponding amino acids by this affinity. Later during evolution, this matching was gradually replaced with matching by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.<ref name="pmid21779963"/><ref name="pmid279919">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hopfield JJ | title = Origin of the genetic code: a testable hypothesis based on tRNA structure, sequence, and kinetic proofreading | journal = PNAS | volume = 75 | issue = 9 | pages = 4334–4338 | date = 1978 | pmid = 279919 | doi=10.1073/pnas.75.9.4334 | pmc=336109| bibcode = 1978PNAS...75.4334H | doi-access = free}}</ref><ref name="pmid19795157"/>
*Optimality: the genetic code continued to evolve after its initial creation, so that the current code maximizes some [[fitness (biology)|fitness]] function, usually some kind of error minimization.<ref name="pmid21779963"/><ref name="pmid10742043"/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Brown |first1=Sean M. |last2=Voráček |first2=Václav |last3=Freeland |first3=Stephen |title=What Would an Alien Amino Acid Alphabet Look Like and Why? |journal=Astrobiology |date=5 April 2023 |volume=23 |issue=5 |pages=536–549 |doi=10.1089/ast.2022.0107|pmid=37022727 |bibcode=2023AsBio..23..536B |s2cid=257983174 }}</ref>


Hypotheses have addressed a variety of scenarios:<ref name="pmid10366854">{{cite journal | vauthors = Knight RD, Freeland SJ, Landweber LF | title = Selection, history and chemistry: the three faces of the genetic code | journal = Trends in Biochemical Sciences | volume = 24 | issue = 6 | pages = 241–7 | date = Jun 1999 | pmid = 10366854|doi=10.1016/S0968-0004(99)01392-4|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0968000499013924}}</ref>
The distribution of codon assignments in the genetic code is nonrandom.<ref name="pmid9732450">{{cite journal | author = Freeland SJ, Hurst LD | title = The genetic code is one in a million | journal = J. Mol. Evol. | volume = 47 | issue = 3 | pages = 238–48 | date = September 1998 | pmid = 9732450 | doi = 10.1007/PL00006381 }}</ref> For example, the genetic code clusters certain amino acid assignments. Amino acids that share the same biosynthetic pathway tend to have the same first base in their codons.<ref name="pmid2650752">{{cite journal | author = Taylor FJ, Coates D | title = The code within the codons | journal = BioSystems | volume = 22 | issue = 3 | pages = 177–87 | year = 1989 | pmid = 2650752 | doi = 10.1016/0303-2647(89)90059-2 }}</ref> Amino acids with similar physical properties tend to have similar codons,<ref name="pmid2514270">{{cite journal | author = Di Giulio M | title = The extension reached by the minimization of the polarity distances during the evolution of the genetic code | journal = J. Mol. Evol. | volume = 29 | issue = 4 | pages = 288–93 | date = October 1989 | pmid = 2514270 | doi = 10.1007/BF02103616 }}</ref><ref name="pmid6928661">{{cite journal | author = Wong JT | title = Role of minimization of chemical distances between amino acids in the evolution of the genetic code | journal = Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. | volume = 77 | issue = 2 | pages = 1083–6 | date = February 1980 | pmid = 6928661 | pmc = 348428 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.77.2.1083 | bibcode = 1980PNAS...77.1083W }}</ref> reducing the problems caused by point mutations and mistranslations.<ref name="pmid9732450"/> A robust hypothesis for the origin of genetic code should also address or predict the following gross features of the codon table:<ref name="pmid21779963">{{cite journal | author = Erives A | title = A Model of Proto-Anti-Codon RNA Enzymes Requiring L-Amino Acid Homochirality | journal = J Molecular Evolution | volume = 73 | issue = 1–2 | pages = 10–22 | year = 2011 | pmid = 21779963 | pmc = 3223571 | doi = 10.1007/s00239-011-9453-4 }}</ref>
* Chemical principles govern specific RNA interaction with amino acids. Experiments with [[aptamer]]s showed that some amino acids have a selective chemical affinity for their codons.<ref name="pmid9751648">{{cite journal | vauthors = Knight RD, Landweber LF | title = Rhyme or reason: RNA-arginine interactions and the genetic code | journal = Chemistry & Biology | volume = 5 | issue = 9 | pages = R215–20 | date = Sep 1998 | pmid = 9751648 | doi = 10.1016/S1074-5521(98)90001-1 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Experiments showed that of 8 amino acids tested, 6 show some RNA triplet-amino acid association.<ref name="isbn0-674-05075-4" /><ref name="pmid19795157">{{cite journal | vauthors = Yarus M, Widmann JJ, Knight R | title = RNA-amino acid binding: a stereochemical era for the genetic code | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 69 | issue = 5 | pages = 406–29 | date = Nov 2009 | pmid = 19795157 | doi = 10.1007/s00239-009-9270-1 | bibcode = 2009JMolE..69..406Y | doi-access = free }}</ref>
# absence of codons for D-amino acids
* Biosynthetic expansion. The genetic code grew from a simpler earlier code through a process of "biosynthetic expansion". Primordial life "discovered" new amino acids (for example, as by-products of [[metabolism]]) and later incorporated some of these into the machinery of genetic coding.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Sengupta S, Higgs PG | s2cid = 15542587 | year = 2015 | title = Pathways of genetic code evolution in ancient and modern organisms | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 80 | issue = 5–6| pages = 229–243 | doi=10.1007/s00239-015-9686-8 | pmid=26054480| bibcode = 2015JMolE..80..229S}}</ref> Although much circumstantial evidence has been found to suggest that fewer amino acid types were used in the past,<ref name="pmid12270892">{{cite journal | vauthors = Brooks DJ, Fresco JR, Lesk AM, Singh M | title = Evolution of amino acid frequencies in proteins over deep time: inferred order of introduction of amino acids into the genetic code | journal = Molecular Biology and Evolution | volume = 19 | issue = 10 | pages = 1645–55 | date = Oct 2002 | pmid = 12270892 | doi = 10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a003988 | doi-access = free }}</ref> precise and detailed hypotheses about which amino acids entered the code in what order are controversial.<ref name="pmid9115171">{{cite journal | vauthors = Amirnovin R | s2cid = 23334860 | title = An analysis of the metabolic theory of the origin of the genetic code | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 44 | issue = 5 | pages = 473–6 | date = May 1997 | pmid = 9115171 | doi = 10.1007/PL00006170 | bibcode = 1997JMolE..44..473A }}</ref><ref name="pmid11087835">{{cite journal | vauthors = Ronneberg TA, Landweber LF, Freeland SJ | title = Testing a biosynthetic theory of the genetic code: fact or artifact? | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 97 | issue = 25 | pages = 13690–5 | date = Dec 2000 | pmid = 11087835 | pmc = 17637 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.250403097 | bibcode = 2000PNAS...9713690R | doi-access = free }}</ref> However, several studies have suggested that Gly, Ala, Asp, Val, Ser, Pro, Glu, Leu, Thr may belong to a group of early-addition amino acids, whereas Cys, Met, Tyr, Trp, His, Phe may belong to a group of later-addition amino acids.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Trifonov|first=Edward N.|date=September 2009|title=The origin of the genetic code and of the earliest oligopeptides|url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0923250809000576|journal=Research in Microbiology|language=en|volume=160|issue=7|pages=481–486|doi=10.1016/j.resmic.2009.05.004|pmid=19524038}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Higgs|first1=Paul G.|last2=Pudritz|first2=Ralph E.|date=June 2009|title=A Thermodynamic Basis for Prebiotic Amino Acid Synthesis and the Nature of the First Genetic Code|url=http://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/ast.2008.0280|journal=Astrobiology|language=en|volume=9|issue=5|pages=483–490|doi=10.1089/ast.2008.0280|pmid=19566427|issn=1531-1074|arxiv=0904.0402|bibcode=2009AsBio...9..483H|s2cid=9039622}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Chaliotis|first1=Anargyros|last2=Vlastaridis|first2=Panayotis|last3=Mossialos|first3=Dimitris|last4=Ibba|first4=Michael|last5=Becker|first5=Hubert D.|last6=Stathopoulos|first6=Constantinos|last7=Amoutzias|first7=Grigorios D.|date=2017-02-17|title=The complex evolutionary history of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases|url= |journal=Nucleic Acids Research|language=en|volume=45|issue=3|pages=1059–1068|doi=10.1093/nar/gkw1182|issn=0305-1048|pmc=5388404|pmid=28180287}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ntountoumi|first1=Chrysa|last2=Vlastaridis|first2=Panayotis|last3=Mossialos|first3=Dimitris|last4=Stathopoulos|first4=Constantinos|last5=Iliopoulos|first5=Ioannis|last6=Promponas|first6=Vasilios|last7=Oliver|first7=Stephen G|last8=Amoutzias|first8=Grigoris D|date=2019-11-04|title=Low complexity regions in the proteins of prokaryotes perform important functional roles and are highly conserved|url= |journal=Nucleic Acids Research|language=en|volume=47|issue=19|pages=9998–10009|doi=10.1093/nar/gkz730|issn=0305-1048|pmc=6821194|pmid=31504783}}</ref>
# secondary codon patterns for some amino acids
* Natural selection has led to codon assignments of the genetic code that minimize the effects of [[mutation]]s.<ref name="pmid14604186">{{cite journal | vauthors = Freeland SJ, Wu T, Keulmann N | s2cid = 18823745 | title = The case for an error minimizing standard genetic code | journal = Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere | volume = 33 | issue = 4–5 | pages = 457–77 | date = Oct 2003 | pmid = 14604186 | doi = 10.1023/A:1025771327614 | bibcode = 2003OLEB...33..457F }}</ref> A recent hypothesis<ref name="pmid19479032">{{cite journal | vauthors = Baranov PV, Venin M, Provan G | title = Codon size reduction as the origin of the triplet genetic code | journal = PLOS ONE | volume = 4 | issue = 5 | pages = e5708 | date = 2009 | pmid = 19479032 | pmc = 2682656 | doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0005708 | editor1-last = Gemmell | bibcode = 2009PLoSO...4.5708B | editor1-first = Neil John | doi-access = free }}</ref> suggests that the triplet code was derived from codes that used longer than triplet codons (such as quadruplet codons). Longer than triplet decoding would increase codon redundancy and would be more error resistant. This feature could allow accurate decoding absent complex translational machinery such as the [[ribosome]], such as before cells began making ribosomes.
# confinement of synonymous positions to third position
* Information channels: [[information theory|Information-theoretic]] approaches model the process of translating the genetic code into corresponding amino acids as an error-prone information channel.<ref name="pmid17826800">{{cite journal | vauthors = Tlusty T | title = A model for the emergence of the genetic code as a transition in a noisy information channel | journal = Journal of Theoretical Biology | volume = 249 | issue = 2 | pages = 331–42 | date = Nov 2007 | pmid = 17826800 | doi = 10.1016/j.jtbi.2007.07.029 | arxiv = 1007.4122 | bibcode = 2007JThBi.249..331T | s2cid = 12206140 }}</ref> The inherent noise (that is, the error) in the channel poses the organism with a fundamental question: how can a genetic code be constructed to withstand noise<ref>{{cite book | vauthors = Sonneborn TM | veditors =Bryson V, Vogel H | title = Evolving genes and proteins |publisher=Academic Press|location=New York |date=1965|pages=377–397}}</ref> while accurately and efficiently translating information? These [[rate-distortion theory|"rate-distortion"]] models<ref name="pmid 18352335">{{cite journal | vauthors = Tlusty T | title = Rate-distortion scenario for the emergence and evolution of noisy molecular codes | journal = Physical Review Letters | volume = 100 | issue = 4 | pages = 048101 | date = Feb 2008 | pmid = 18352335 | doi = 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.048101 | arxiv = 1007.4149 | bibcode = 2008PhRvL.100d8101T | s2cid = 12246664 }}</ref> suggest that the genetic code originated as a result of the interplay of the three conflicting evolutionary forces: the needs for diverse amino acids,<ref name="pmid16838217">{{cite journal | vauthors = Sella G, Ardell DH | s2cid = 1260806 | title = The coevolution of genes and genetic codes: Crick's frozen accident revisited | journal = Journal of Molecular Evolution | volume = 63 | issue = 3 | pages = 297–313 | date = Sep 2006 | pmid = 16838217 | doi = 10.1007/s00239-004-0176-7 | bibcode = 2006JMolE..63..297S }}</ref> for error-tolerance<ref name="pmid14604186" /> and for minimal resource cost. The code emerges at a transition when the mapping of codons to amino acids becomes nonrandom. The code's emergence is governed by the [[topology]] defined by the probable errors and is related to the [[map coloring problem]].<ref name="pmid 20558115">{{cite journal | vauthors = Tlusty T | title = A colorful origin for the genetic code: information theory, statistical mechanics and the emergence of molecular codes | journal = Physics of Life Reviews | volume = 7 | issue = 3 | pages = 362–76 | date = Sep 2010 | pmid = 20558115 | doi = 10.1016/j.plrev.2010.06.002 | arxiv = 1007.3906 | bibcode = 2010PhLRv...7..362T | s2cid = 1845965 }}</ref>
# limitation to 20 amino acids instead of a number closer to 64
*Game theory: Models based on [[signaling game]]s combine elements of game theory, natural selection and information channels. Such models have been used to suggest that the first polypeptides were likely short and had non-enzymatic function. Game theoretic models suggested that the organization of RNA strings into cells may have been necessary to prevent "deceptive" use of the genetic code, i.e. preventing the ancient equivalent of viruses from overwhelming the RNA world.<ref name="pmid23985735">{{cite journal | vauthors = Jee J, Sundstrom A, Massey SE, Mishra B | title = What can information-asymmetric games tell us about the context of Crick's 'frozen accident'? | journal = Journal of the Royal Society, Interface | volume = 10 | issue = 88 | pages = 20130614 | date = Nov 2013 | pmid = 23985735 | pmc = 3785830 | doi = 10.1098/rsif.2013.0614 }}</ref>
# relation of stop codon patterns to amino acid coding patterns
*Stop codons: Codons for translational stops are also an interesting aspect to the problem of the origin of the genetic code. As an example for addressing stop codon evolution, it has been suggested that the stop codons are such that they are most likely to terminate translation early in the case of a [[frame shift]] error.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Itzkovitz S, Alon U | title = The genetic code is nearly optimal for allowing additional information within protein-coding sequences | journal = Genome Research | volume = 17| issue = 4 | pages = 405–412 | date = 2007| doi = 10.1101/gr.5987307 | pmid=17293451 | pmc=1832087}}</ref> In contrast, some stereochemical molecular models explain the origin of stop codons as "unassignable".<ref name="pmid21779963"/>


== See also ==
==See also==
* [[List of genetic engineering software]]
{{Columns |colwidth=auto |gapbetween=2.5em
* [[Codon tables]]
| col1 =
* [[DNA]]
* [[Genotype]]
* [[Human Genome Project]]
* [[Edward Trifonov#Multiple genetic codes|Multiple genetic codes]]
| col2 =
* [[Mutation]]
* [[Nucleobases]]
* [[Phenotype]]
* [[Protein]]s
}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book |author=Griffiths, Anthony J. F.; Miller, Jeffrey H.; Suzuki, David T.; Lewontin, Richard C.; Gelbart, William M. |title=An Introduction to genetic analysis |publisher=W.H. Freeman |location=San Francisco |year=1999 |isbn=0-7167-3771-X |edition=7th |url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?call=bv.View..ShowTOC&rid=iga.TOC}}
* {{cite book | last1 = Griffiths | first1 = Anthony J. F. | last2 = Miller | first2 = Jeffrey H. | last3 = Suzuki | first3 = David T. | last4 = Lewontin | first4 = Richard C. | last5 = Gilbert | first5 = William M. | name-list-style = vanc |title=An Introduction to genetic analysis |publisher=W.H. Freeman |location=San Francisco |date=1999 |isbn=978-0-7167-3771-1 |edition=7th |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?call=bv.View..ShowTOC&rid=iga.TOC}}
* {{cite book |author=Alberts, Bruce; Johnson, Alexander; Lewis, Julian; Raff, Martin; Roberts, Keith; Walter, Peter |title=Molecular biology of the cell |publisher=Garland Science |location=New York |year=2002 |isbn=0-8153-3218-1 |edition=4th |url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?call=bv.View..ShowTOC&rid=mboc4.TOC&depth=2}}
* {{cite book | last1 = Alberts | first1 = Bruce | last2 = Johnson | first2 = Alexander | last3=Lewis | first3 = Julian | last4 = Raff | first4 = Martin | last5 = Roberts | first5 = Keith | last6 = Walter | first6 = Peter | name-list-style = vanc |title=Molecular biology of the cell |publisher=Garland Science |location=New York |date=2002 |isbn=978-0-8153-3218-3 |edition=4th |url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?call=bv.View..ShowTOC&rid=mboc4.TOC&depth=2}}
* {{cite book |author=Lodish, Harvey F.; Berk, Arnold; Zipursky, S. Lawrence; Matsudaira, Paul; Baltimore, David; Darnell, James E. |title=Molecular cell biology |publisher=W.H. Freeman |location=San Francisco |year=2000 |isbn=0-7167-3706-X |edition=4th |url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?call=bv.View..ShowTOC&rid=mcb.TOC}}
* {{cite book | last1 = Lodish | first1 = Harvey F. | last2 = Berk | first2 = Arnold | last3 = Zipursky | first3 = S. Lawrence | last4 = Matsudaira | first4 = Paul | last5 = Baltimore | first5 = David | last6 = Darnell | first6 = James E. | name-list-style = vanc | title = Molecular cell biology| publisher = W.H. Freeman | location = San Francisco | date=2000|isbn=9780716737063|url = https://archive.org/details/molecularcellbi000lodi | url-access = registration| edition = 4th }}
* {{cite journal |author=C. Thomas Caskey and Philip Leder |title=The RNA code: Nature’s Rosetta Stone | journal=PNAS |doi=10.1073/pnas.1404819111
* {{cite journal|vauthors = Caskey CT, Leder P | title = The RNA code: nature's Rosetta Stone | journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | volume = 111 | issue = 16 | pages = 5758–9 | date = Apr 2014 | pmid = 24756939 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.1404819111 | bibcode = 2014PNAS..111.5758C | pmc=4000803| doi-access = free}}
{{Refend}}
|volume = 111 | issue = 16 | pages = 5758–5759 |date=22 April 2014}}
{{refend}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category|Genetic code}}
{{Commons category|Genetic code}}
* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Utils/wprintgc.cgi The Genetic Codes Genetic Code Tables]
* [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/taxonomyhome.html/index.cgi?chapter=cgencodes The Genetic Codes: Genetic Code Tables]
* The [http://www.kazusa.or.jp/codon/ Codon Usage Database] Codon frequency tables for many organisms
* The [http://www.kazusa.or.jp/codon/ Codon Usage Database] Codon frequency tables for many organisms
* [http://history.nih.gov/exhibits/nirenberg/ History of deciphering the genetic code]
* [http://history.nih.gov/exhibits/nirenberg/ History of deciphering the genetic code]
{{Genetics}}
* [http://dx.doi.org/10.1511/2004.6.494 American Scientist: Ode to the code (Origin)]
* [http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/69212/title/Alphabet_of_Life Alphabet of Life (Origin)]
* [http://www.imb-jena.de/~sweta/genetic_code_and_evolution/ Symmetries in the genetic code]

{{MolBioGeneExp}}
{{MolBioGeneExp}}
{{Proteinogenic amino acids}}
{{good article}}
{{Biochemistry topics}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Good article}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Genetic Code}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Genetic Code}}
[[Category:Molecular genetics]]
[[Category:Gene expression]]
[[Category:Gene expression]]
[[Category:Genetics]]
[[Category:Molecular genetics]]
[[Category:Molecular biology]]
[[Category:Protein biosynthesis]]
[[Category:Protein biosynthesis]]

Latest revision as of 16:22, 21 November 2024

A series of codons in part of a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule. Each codon consists of three nucleotides, usually corresponding to a single amino acid. The nucleotides are abbreviated with the letters A, U, G and C. This is mRNA, which uses U (uracil). DNA uses T (thymine) instead. This mRNA molecule will instruct a ribosome to synthesize a protein according to this code.

The genetic code is the set of rules used by living cells to translate information encoded within genetic material (DNA or RNA sequences of nucleotide triplets, or codons) into proteins. Translation is accomplished by the ribosome, which links proteinogenic amino acids in an order specified by messenger RNA (mRNA), using transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules to carry amino acids and to read the mRNA three nucleotides at a time. The genetic code is highly similar among all organisms and can be expressed in a simple table with 64 entries.

The codons specify which amino acid will be added next during protein biosynthesis. With some exceptions,[1] a three-nucleotide codon in a nucleic acid sequence specifies a single amino acid. The vast majority of genes are encoded with a single scheme (see the RNA codon table). That scheme is often referred to as the canonical or standard genetic code, or simply the genetic code, though variant codes (such as in mitochondria) exist.

History

[edit]
The genetic code

Efforts to understand how proteins are encoded began after DNA's structure was discovered in 1953. The key discoverers, English biophysicist Francis Crick and American biologist James Watson, working together at the Cavendish Laboratory of the University of Cambridge, hypothesied that information flows from DNA and that there is a link between DNA and proteins.[2] Soviet-American physicist George Gamow was the first to give a workable scheme for protein synthesis from DNA.[3] He postulated that sets of three bases (triplets) must be employed to encode the 20 standard amino acids used by living cells to build proteins, which would allow a maximum of 43 = 64 amino acids.[4] He named this DNA–protein interaction (the original genetic code) as the "diamond code".[5]

In 1954, Gamow created an informal scientific organisation the RNA Tie Club, as suggested by Watson, for scientists of different persuasions who were interested in how proteins were synthesised from genes. However, the club could have only 20 permanent members to represent each of the 20 amino acids; and four additional honorary members to represent the four nucleotides of DNA.[6]

The first scientific contribution of the club, later recorded as "one of the most important unpublished articles in the history of science"[7] and "the most famous unpublished paper in the annals of molecular biology",[8] was made by Crick. Crick presented a type-written paper titled "On Degenerate Templates and the Adaptor Hypothesis: A Note for the RNA Tie Club"[9] to the members of the club in January 1955, which "totally changed the way we thought about protein synthesis", as Watson recalled.[10] The hypothesis states that the triplet code was not passed on to amino acids as Gamow thought, but carried by a different molecule, an adaptor, that interacts with amino acids.[8] The adaptor was later identified as tRNA.[11]

Codons

[edit]

The Crick, Brenner, Barnett and Watts-Tobin experiment first demonstrated that codons consist of three DNA bases.

Marshall Nirenberg and J. Heinrich Matthaei were the first to reveal the nature of a codon in 1961.[12] They used a cell-free system to translate a poly-uracil RNA sequence (i.e., UUUUU...) and discovered that the polypeptide that they had synthesized consisted of only the amino acid phenylalanine.[13] They thereby deduced that the codon UUU specified the amino acid phenylalanine.

This was followed by experiments in Severo Ochoa's laboratory that demonstrated that the poly-adenine RNA sequence (AAAAA...) coded for the polypeptide poly-lysine[14] and that the poly-cytosine RNA sequence (CCCCC...) coded for the polypeptide poly-proline.[15] Therefore, the codon AAA specified the amino acid lysine, and the codon CCC specified the amino acid proline. Using various copolymers most of the remaining codons were then determined.

Subsequent work by Har Gobind Khorana identified the rest of the genetic code. Shortly thereafter, Robert W. Holley determined the structure of transfer RNA (tRNA), the adapter molecule that facilitates the process of translating RNA into protein. This work was based upon Ochoa's earlier studies, yielding the latter the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1959 for work on the enzymology of RNA synthesis.[16]

Extending this work, Nirenberg and Philip Leder revealed the code's triplet nature and deciphered its codons. In these experiments, various combinations of mRNA were passed through a filter that contained ribosomes, the components of cells that translate RNA into protein. Unique triplets promoted the binding of specific tRNAs to the ribosome. Leder and Nirenberg were able to determine the sequences of 54 out of 64 codons in their experiments.[17] Khorana, Holley and Nirenberg received the Nobel Prize (1968) for their work.[18]

The three stop codons were named by discoverers Richard Epstein and Charles Steinberg. "Amber" was named after their friend Harris Bernstein, whose last name means "amber" in German.[19] The other two stop codons were named "ochre" and "opal" in order to keep the "color names" theme.

Expanded genetic codes (synthetic biology)

[edit]

In a broad academic audience, the concept of the evolution of the genetic code from the original and ambiguous genetic code to a well-defined ("frozen") code with the repertoire of 20 (+2) canonical amino acids is widely accepted.[20] However, there are different opinions, concepts, approaches and ideas, which is the best way to change it experimentally. Even models are proposed that predict "entry points" for synthetic amino acid invasion of the genetic code.[21]

Since 2001, 40 non-natural amino acids have been added into proteins by creating a unique codon (recoding) and a corresponding transfer-RNA:aminoacyl – tRNA-synthetase pair to encode it with diverse physicochemical and biological properties in order to be used as a tool to exploring protein structure and function or to create novel or enhanced proteins.[22][23]

H. Murakami and M. Sisido extended some codons to have four and five bases. Steven A. Benner constructed a functional 65th (in vivo) codon.[24]

In 2015 N. Budisa, D. Söll and co-workers reported the full substitution of all 20,899 tryptophan residues (UGG codons) with unnatural thienopyrrole-alanine in the genetic code of the bacterium Escherichia coli.[25]

In 2016 the first stable semisynthetic organism was created. It was a (single cell) bacterium with two synthetic bases (called X and Y). The bases survived cell division.[26][27]

In 2017, researchers in South Korea reported that they had engineered a mouse with an extended genetic code that can produce proteins with unnatural amino acids.[28]

In May 2019, researchers reported the creation of a new "Syn61" strain of the bacterium Escherichia coli. This strain has a fully synthetic genome that is refactored (all overlaps expanded), recoded (removing the use of three out of 64 codons completely), and further modified to remove the now unnecessary tRNAs and release factors. It is fully viable and grows 1.6× slower than its wild-type counterpart "MDS42".[29][30]

Features

[edit]
Reading frames in the DNA sequence of a region of the human mitochondrial genome coding for the genes MT-ATP8 and MT-ATP6 (in black: positions 8,525 to 8,580 in the sequence accession NC_012920[31]). There are three possible reading frames in the 5' → 3' forward direction, starting on the first (+1), second (+2) and third position (+3). For each codon (square brackets), the amino acid is given by the vertebrate mitochondrial code, either in the +1 frame for MT-ATP8 (in red) or in the +3 frame for MT-ATP6 (in blue). The MT-ATP8 genes terminates with the TAG stop codon (red dot) in the +1 frame. The MT-ATP6 gene starts with the ATG codon (blue circle for the M amino acid) in the +3 frame.

Reading frame

[edit]

A reading frame is defined by the initial triplet of nucleotides from which translation starts. It sets the frame for a run of successive, non-overlapping codons, which is known as an "open reading frame" (ORF). For example, the string 5'-AAATGAACG-3' (see figure), if read from the first position, contains the codons AAA, TGA, and ACG ; if read from the second position, it contains the codons AAT and GAA ; and if read from the third position, it contains the codons ATG and AAC. Every sequence can, thus, be read in its 5' → 3' direction in three reading frames, each producing a possibly distinct amino acid sequence: in the given example, Lys (K)-Trp (W)-Thr (T), Asn (N)-Glu (E), or Met (M)-Asn (N), respectively (when translating with the vertebrate mitochondrial code). When DNA is double-stranded, six possible reading frames are defined, three in the forward orientation on one strand and three reverse on the opposite strand.[32]: 330  Protein-coding frames are defined by a start codon, usually the first AUG (ATG) codon in the RNA (DNA) sequence.

In eukaryotes, ORFs in exons are often interrupted by introns.

Start and stop codons

[edit]

Translation starts with a chain-initiation codon or start codon. The start codon alone is not sufficient to begin the process. Nearby sequences such as the Shine-Dalgarno sequence in E. coli and initiation factors are also required to start translation. The most common start codon is AUG, which is read as methionine or as formylmethionine (in bacteria, mitochondria, and plastids). Alternative start codons depending on the organism include "GUG" or "UUG"; these codons normally represent valine and leucine, respectively, but as start codons they are translated as methionine or formylmethionine.[33]

The three stop codons have names: UAG is amber, UGA is opal (sometimes also called umber), and UAA is ochre. Stop codons are also called "termination" or "nonsense" codons. They signal release of the nascent polypeptide from the ribosome because no cognate tRNA has anticodons complementary to these stop signals, allowing a release factor to bind to the ribosome instead.[34]

Effect of mutations

[edit]
Examples of notable mutations that can occur in humans[35]

During the process of DNA replication, errors occasionally occur in the polymerization of the second strand. These errors, mutations, can affect an organism's phenotype, especially if they occur within the protein coding sequence of a gene. Error rates are typically 1 error in every 10–100 million bases—due to the "proofreading" ability of DNA polymerases.[36][37]

Missense mutations and nonsense mutations are examples of point mutations that can cause genetic diseases such as sickle-cell disease and thalassemia respectively.[38][39][40] Clinically important missense mutations generally change the properties of the coded amino acid residue among basic, acidic, polar or non-polar states, whereas nonsense mutations result in a stop codon.[32]

Mutations that disrupt the reading frame sequence by indels (insertions or deletions) of a non-multiple of 3 nucleotide bases are known as frameshift mutations. These mutations usually result in a completely different translation from the original, and likely cause a stop codon to be read, which truncates the protein.[41] These mutations may impair the protein's function and are thus rare in in vivo protein-coding sequences. One reason inheritance of frameshift mutations is rare is that, if the protein being translated is essential for growth under the selective pressures the organism faces, absence of a functional protein may cause death before the organism becomes viable.[42] Frameshift mutations may result in severe genetic diseases such as Tay–Sachs disease.[43]

Although most mutations that change protein sequences are harmful or neutral, some mutations have benefits.[44] These mutations may enable the mutant organism to withstand particular environmental stresses better than wild type organisms, or reproduce more quickly. In these cases a mutation will tend to become more common in a population through natural selection.[45] Viruses that use RNA as their genetic material have rapid mutation rates,[46] which can be an advantage, since these viruses thereby evolve rapidly, and thus evade the immune system defensive responses.[47] In large populations of asexually reproducing organisms, for example, E. coli, multiple beneficial mutations may co-occur. This phenomenon is called clonal interference and causes competition among the mutations.[48]

Degeneracy

[edit]
Grouping of codons by amino acid residue molar volume and hydropathicity. A more detailed version is available.
Axes 1, 2, 3 are the first, second, and third positions in the codon. The 20 amino acids and stop codons (X) are shown in single letter code.

Degeneracy is the redundancy of the genetic code. This term was given by Bernfield and Nirenberg. The genetic code has redundancy but no ambiguity (see the codon tables below for the full correlation). For example, although codons GAA and GAG both specify glutamic acid (redundancy), neither specifies another amino acid (no ambiguity). The codons encoding one amino acid may differ in any of their three positions. For example, the amino acid leucine is specified by YUR or CUN (UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, or CUG) codons (difference in the first or third position indicated using IUPAC notation), while the amino acid serine is specified by UCN or AGY (UCA, UCG, UCC, UCU, AGU, or AGC) codons (difference in the first, second, or third position).[49] A practical consequence of redundancy is that errors in the third position of the triplet codon cause only a silent mutation or an error that would not affect the protein because the hydrophilicity or hydrophobicity is maintained by equivalent substitution of amino acids; for example, a codon of NUN (where N = any nucleotide) tends to code for hydrophobic amino acids. NCN yields amino acid residues that are small in size and moderate in hydropathicity; NAN encodes average size hydrophilic residues. The genetic code is so well-structured for hydropathicity that a mathematical analysis (Singular Value Decomposition) of 12 variables (4 nucleotides x 3 positions) yields a remarkable correlation (C = 0.95) for predicting the hydropathicity of the encoded amino acid directly from the triplet nucleotide sequence, without translation.[50][51] Note in the table, below, eight amino acids are not affected at all by mutations at the third position of the codon, whereas in the figure above, a mutation at the second position is likely to cause a radical change in the physicochemical properties of the encoded amino acid. Nevertheless, changes in the first position of the codons are more important than changes in the second position on a global scale.[52] The reason may be that charge reversal (from a positive to a negative charge or vice versa) can only occur upon mutations in the first position of certain codons, but not upon changes in the second position of any codon. Such charge reversal may have dramatic consequences for the structure or function of a protein. This aspect may have been largely underestimated by previous studies.[52]

Codon usage bias

[edit]

The frequency of codons, also known as codon usage bias, can vary from species to species with functional implications for the control of translation. The codon varies by organism; for example, most common proline codon in E. coli is CCG, whereas in humans this is the least used proline codon.[53]

Human genome codon frequency table[54]
Codon AA[C] Fraction[D] Freq [E] Number[F] Codon AA Fraction Freq Number Codon AA Fraction Freq Number Codon AA Fraction Freq Number
UUU F 0.46 17.6 714,298 UCU S 0.19 15.2 618,711 UAU Y 0.44 12.2 495,699 UGU C 0.46 10.6 430,311
UUC F 0.54 20.3 824,692 UCC S 0.22 17.7 718,892 UAC Y 0.56 15.3 622,407 UGC C 0.54 12.6 513,028
UUA L 0.08 7.7 311,881 UCA S 0.15 12.2 496,448 UAA * 0.30 1.0 40,285 UGA * 0.47 1.6 63,237
UUG L 0.13 12.9 525,688 UCG S 0.05 4.4 179,419 UAG * 0.24 0.8 32,109 UGG W 1.00 13.2 535,595
CUU L 0.13 13.2 536,515 CCU P 0.29 17.5 713,233 CAU H 0.42 10.9 441,711 CGU R 0.08 4.5 184,609
CUC L 0.20 19.6 796,638 CCC P 0.32 19.8 804,620 CAC H 0.58 15.1 613,713 CGC R 0.18 10.4 423,516
CUA L 0.07 7.2 290,751 CCA P 0.28 16.9 688,038 CAA Q 0.27 12.3 501,911 CGA R 0.11 6.2 250,760
CUG L 0.40 39.6 1,611,801 CCG P 0.11 6.9 281,570 CAG Q 0.73 34.2 1,391,973 CGG R 0.20 11.4 464,485
AUU I 0.36 16.0 650,473 ACU T 0.25 13.1 533,609 AAU N 0.47 17.0 689,701 AGU S 0.15 12.1 493,429
AUC I 0.47 20.8 846,466 ACC T 0.36 18.9 768,147 AAC N 0.53 19.1 776,603 AGC S 0.24 19.5 791,383
AUA I 0.17 7.5 304,565 ACA T 0.28 15.1 614,523 AAA K 0.43 24.4 993,621 AGA R 0.21 12.2 494,682
AUG M 1.00 22.0 896,005 ACG T 0.11 6.1 246,105 AAG K 0.57 31.9 1,295,568 AGG R 0.21 12.0 486,463
GUU V 0.18 11.0 448,607 GCU A 0.27 18.4 750,096 GAU D 0.46 21.8 885,429 GGU G 0.16 10.8 437,126
GUC V 0.24 14.5 588,138 GCC A 0.40 27.7 1,127,679 GAC D 0.54 25.1 1,020,595 GGC G 0.34 22.2 903,565
GUA V 0.12 7.1 287,712 GCA A 0.23 15.8 643,471 GAA E 0.42 29.0 1,177,632 GGA G 0.25 16.5 669,873
GUG V 0.46 28.1 1,143,534 GCG A 0.11 7.4 299,495 GAG E 0.58 39.6 1,609,975 GGG G 0.25 16.5 669,768

Alternative genetic codes

[edit]

Non-standard amino acids

[edit]

In some proteins, non-standard amino acids are substituted for standard stop codons, depending on associated signal sequences in the messenger RNA. For example, UGA can code for selenocysteine and UAG can code for pyrrolysine. Selenocysteine came to be seen as the 21st amino acid, and pyrrolysine as the 22nd.[55] Both selenocysteine and pyrrolysine may be present in the same organism.[55] Although the genetic code is normally fixed in an organism, the achaeal prokaryote Acetohalobium arabaticum can expand its genetic code from 20 to 21 amino acids (by including pyrrolysine) under different conditions of growth.[56]

Variations

[edit]
Genetic code logo of the Globobulimina pseudospinescens mitochondrial genome by FACIL. The program is able to correctly infer that the Protozoan Mitochondrial Code is in use.[57] The logo shows the 64 codons from left to right, predicted alternatives in red (relative to the standard genetic code). Red line: stop codons. The height of each amino acid in the stack shows how often it is aligned to the codon in homologous protein domains. The stack height indicates the support for the prediction.

There was originally a simple and widely accepted argument that the genetic code should be universal: namely, that any variation in the genetic code would be lethal to the organism (although Crick had stated that viruses were an exception). This is known as the "frozen accident" argument for the universality of the genetic code. However, in his seminal paper on the origins of the genetic code in 1968, Francis Crick still stated that the universality of the genetic code in all organisms was an unproven assumption, and was probably not true in some instances. He predicted that "The code is universal (the same in all organisms) or nearly so".[58] The first variation was discovered in 1979, by researchers studying human mitochondrial genes.[59] Many slight variants were discovered thereafter,[60] including various alternative mitochondrial codes.[61] These minor variants for example involve translation of the codon UGA as tryptophan in Mycoplasma species, and translation of CUG as a serine rather than leucine in yeasts of the "CTG clade" (such as Candida albicans).[62][63][64] Because viruses must use the same genetic code as their hosts, modifications to the standard genetic code could interfere with viral protein synthesis or functioning. However, viruses such as totiviruses have adapted to the host's genetic code modification.[65] In bacteria and archaea, GUG and UUG are common start codons. In rare cases, certain proteins may use alternative start codons.[60] Surprisingly, variations in the interpretation of the genetic code exist also in human nuclear-encoded genes: In 2016, researchers studying the translation of malate dehydrogenase found that in about 4% of the mRNAs encoding this enzyme the stop codon is naturally used to encode the amino acids tryptophan and arginine.[66] This type of recoding is induced by a high-readthrough stop codon context[67] and it is referred to as functional translational readthrough.[68]

Despite these differences, all known naturally occurring codes are very similar. The coding mechanism is the same for all organisms: three-base codons, tRNA, ribosomes, single direction reading and translating single codons into single amino acids.[69] The most extreme variations occur in certain ciliates where the meaning of stop codons depends on their position within mRNA. When close to the 3' end they act as terminators while in internal positions they either code for amino acids as in Condylostoma magnum[70] or trigger ribosomal frameshifting as in Euplotes.[71]

The origins and variation of the genetic code, including the mechanisms behind the evolvability of the genetic code, have been widely studied,[72][73] and some studies have been done experimentally evolving the genetic code of some organisms.[74][75][76][77]

Inference

[edit]

Variant genetic codes used by an organism can be inferred by identifying highly conserved genes encoded in that genome, and comparing its codon usage to the amino acids in homologous proteins of other organisms. For example, the program FACIL infers a genetic code by searching which amino acids in homologous protein domains are most often aligned to every codon. The resulting amino acid (or stop codon) probabilities for each codon are displayed in a genetic code logo.[57]

As of January 2022, the most complete survey of genetic codes is done by Shulgina and Eddy, who screened 250,000 prokaryotic genomes using their Codetta tool. This tool uses a similar approach to FACIL with a larger Pfam database. Despite the NCBI already providing 27 translation tables, the authors were able to find new 5 genetic code variations (corroborated by tRNA mutations) and correct several misattributions.[78] Codetta was later used to analyze genetic code change in ciliates.[79]

Origin

[edit]

The genetic code is a key part of the history of life, according to one version of which self-replicating RNA molecules preceded life as we know it. This is the RNA world hypothesis. Under this hypothesis, any model for the emergence of the genetic code is intimately related to a model of the transfer from ribozymes (RNA enzymes) to proteins as the principal enzymes in cells. In line with the RNA world hypothesis, transfer RNA molecules appear to have evolved before modern aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, so the latter cannot be part of the explanation of its patterns.[80]

A hypothetical randomly evolved genetic code further motivates a biochemical or evolutionary model for its origin. If amino acids were randomly assigned to triplet codons, there would be 1.5 × 1084 possible genetic codes.[81]: 163 This number is found by calculating the number of ways that 21 items (20 amino acids plus one stop) can be placed in 64 bins, wherein each item is used at least once.[82] However, the distribution of codon assignments in the genetic code is nonrandom.[83] In particular, the genetic code clusters certain amino acid assignments.

Amino acids that share the same biosynthetic pathway tend to have the same first base in their codons. This could be an evolutionary relic of an early, simpler genetic code with fewer amino acids that later evolved to code a larger set of amino acids.[84] It could also reflect steric and chemical properties that had another effect on the codon during its evolution. Amino acids with similar physical properties also tend to have similar codons,[85][86] reducing the problems caused by point mutations and mistranslations.[83]

Given the non-random genetic triplet coding scheme, a tenable hypothesis for the origin of genetic code could address multiple aspects of the codon table, such as absence of codons for D-amino acids, secondary codon patterns for some amino acids, confinement of synonymous positions to third position, the small set of only 20 amino acids (instead of a number approaching 64), and the relation of stop codon patterns to amino acid coding patterns.[87]

Three main hypotheses address the origin of the genetic code. Many models belong to one of them or to a hybrid:[88]

  • Random freeze: the genetic code was randomly created. For example, early tRNA-like ribozymes may have had different affinities for amino acids, with codons emerging from another part of the ribozyme that exhibited random variability. Once enough peptides were coded for, any major random change in the genetic code would have been lethal; hence it became "frozen".[89]
  • Stereochemical affinity: the genetic code is a result of a high affinity between each amino acid and its codon or anti-codon; the latter option implies that pre-tRNA molecules matched their corresponding amino acids by this affinity. Later during evolution, this matching was gradually replaced with matching by aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.[87][90][91]
  • Optimality: the genetic code continued to evolve after its initial creation, so that the current code maximizes some fitness function, usually some kind of error minimization.[87][88][92]

Hypotheses have addressed a variety of scenarios:[93]

  • Chemical principles govern specific RNA interaction with amino acids. Experiments with aptamers showed that some amino acids have a selective chemical affinity for their codons.[94] Experiments showed that of 8 amino acids tested, 6 show some RNA triplet-amino acid association.[81][91]
  • Biosynthetic expansion. The genetic code grew from a simpler earlier code through a process of "biosynthetic expansion". Primordial life "discovered" new amino acids (for example, as by-products of metabolism) and later incorporated some of these into the machinery of genetic coding.[95] Although much circumstantial evidence has been found to suggest that fewer amino acid types were used in the past,[96] precise and detailed hypotheses about which amino acids entered the code in what order are controversial.[97][98] However, several studies have suggested that Gly, Ala, Asp, Val, Ser, Pro, Glu, Leu, Thr may belong to a group of early-addition amino acids, whereas Cys, Met, Tyr, Trp, His, Phe may belong to a group of later-addition amino acids.[99][100][101][102]
  • Natural selection has led to codon assignments of the genetic code that minimize the effects of mutations.[103] A recent hypothesis[104] suggests that the triplet code was derived from codes that used longer than triplet codons (such as quadruplet codons). Longer than triplet decoding would increase codon redundancy and would be more error resistant. This feature could allow accurate decoding absent complex translational machinery such as the ribosome, such as before cells began making ribosomes.
  • Information channels: Information-theoretic approaches model the process of translating the genetic code into corresponding amino acids as an error-prone information channel.[105] The inherent noise (that is, the error) in the channel poses the organism with a fundamental question: how can a genetic code be constructed to withstand noise[106] while accurately and efficiently translating information? These "rate-distortion" models[107] suggest that the genetic code originated as a result of the interplay of the three conflicting evolutionary forces: the needs for diverse amino acids,[108] for error-tolerance[103] and for minimal resource cost. The code emerges at a transition when the mapping of codons to amino acids becomes nonrandom. The code's emergence is governed by the topology defined by the probable errors and is related to the map coloring problem.[109]
  • Game theory: Models based on signaling games combine elements of game theory, natural selection and information channels. Such models have been used to suggest that the first polypeptides were likely short and had non-enzymatic function. Game theoretic models suggested that the organization of RNA strings into cells may have been necessary to prevent "deceptive" use of the genetic code, i.e. preventing the ancient equivalent of viruses from overwhelming the RNA world.[110]
  • Stop codons: Codons for translational stops are also an interesting aspect to the problem of the origin of the genetic code. As an example for addressing stop codon evolution, it has been suggested that the stop codons are such that they are most likely to terminate translation early in the case of a frame shift error.[111] In contrast, some stereochemical molecular models explain the origin of stop codons as "unassignable".[87]

See also

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