The discreteness of the genetic code is a fundamental property of the genome, which determines the way information about proteins is encoded in DNA. The genetic code is discrete, meaning it consists of specific codons that code for amino acids in a protein. Each codon consists of three nucleotides, and each nucleotide can take one of four possible forms: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), cytosine ©.
The discreteness of the genetic code is a result of the evolution of life on Earth. At the beginning of life, when the first cells appeared on Earth, the genetic code was non-discrete and contained all possible combinations of nucleotides. However, during the process of evolution, only certain combinations of nucleotides began to encode amino acids, which led to the discreteness of the genetic code.
One of the main reasons for discreteness is the need to reduce the cost of protein production. If all combinations of nucleotides were coding, this would lead to an increase in the number of possible proteins, requiring more energy to produce them. Thus, discreteness allows us to reduce the number of possible proteins and reduce the cost of their production.
In addition, discreteness is also associated with the possibility of mutations in the genetic code. If the genetic code were non-discrete, then mutations could lead to the emergence of new proteins that could be harmful to the body. However, due to discreteness, mutations can occur only in certain places in the code, which reduces the likelihood of harmful proteins appearing.
Thus, the discreteness of the genetic code plays an important role in the evolution of life on Earth and ensures the stability of the genetic material. It allows you to reduce the cost of protein production, reduce the likelihood of harmful mutations and maintain the stability of the genetic code over millions of years of evolution.
Introduction
The genetic code is a set of instructions passed from parents to offspring through genes. This code determines what proteins will be synthesized in the cell and how they will function. However, until recently it was believed that the genetic code was continuous and unambiguous. That is, each codon in a gene is responsible for a specific amino acid and cannot be replaced with another. However, recent research has shown that this code is in fact discrete or discontinuous. Such a code consists of small sections where each code triplet carries certain information. In this article we will look at what genome discreteness is, how it affects the process of protein synthesis, and what new opportunities this discovery opens up for science.
Discreteness and encryption of the genomic code
The discrete nature of the genomic code means that each gene section contains information about a specific amino acid. Thus, each code in a given section plays its own specific role and cannot be replaced by others. This makes DNA more complex and confusing, but also opens up new possibilities.