Symmetry Characteristics of the Genetic Code

The symmetric pattern of codon degeneracies is discussed by using empirical arguments processed within a group-theoretic framework. It is reasoned that the genetic code is a relation rather than a mapping, and the symmetry of a relation defined on the codons is investigated. The principal results ar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1982-11, Vol.79 (22), p.7061-7065
Main Authors: Findley, G. L., Findley, A. M., McGlynn, S. P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ambiguity
Amino acids
Chemical bases
Codon - genetics
Codons
Generally accepted auditing standards
Genetic Code
Mathematics
Models, Genetic
Protein synthesis
RNA, Messenger - genetics
Templates, Genetic
Universality
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Summary:The symmetric pattern of codon degeneracies is discussed by using empirical arguments processed within a group-theoretic framework. It is reasoned that the genetic code is a relation rather than a mapping, and the symmetry of a relation defined on the codons is investigated. The principal results are (i) a new extraction of the basic symmetry inherent in the standard genetic code; (ii) the unification of the symmetry of ambiguous codon assignments with that of the standard genetic code; and (iii) the primacy of the concept of a biological context as that device which degenerates the code relation to a mapping.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.79.22.7061