The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of Complexity
The classical genetic code maps nucleotide triplets to amino acids. The associated sequence composition is complex, representing many elaborations during evolution of form and function. Other genomic elements code for the expression and processing of RNA transcripts. However, over 50% of the human g...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-08-01
|
| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/16/4881 |
| _version_ | 1797522708130430976 |
|---|---|
| author | Alan Herbert |
| author_facet | Alan Herbert |
| author_sort | Alan Herbert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The classical genetic code maps nucleotide triplets to amino acids. The associated sequence composition is complex, representing many elaborations during evolution of form and function. Other genomic elements code for the expression and processing of RNA transcripts. However, over 50% of the human genome consists of widely dispersed repetitive sequences. Among these are simple sequence repeats (SSRs), representing a class of flipons, that under physiological conditions, form alternative nucleic acid conformations such as Z-DNA, G4 quartets, I-motifs, and triplexes. Proteins that bind in a structure-specific manner enable the seeding of condensates with the potential to regulate a wide range of biological processes. SSRs also encode the low complexity peptide repeats to patch condensates together, increasing the number of combinations possible. In situations where SSRs are transcribed, SSR-specific, single-stranded binding proteins may further impact condensate formation. Jointly, flipons and patches speed evolution by enhancing the functionality of condensates. Here, the focus is on the selection of SSR flipons and peptide patches that solve for survival under a wide range of environmental contexts, generating complexity with simple parts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:33:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-801c702365db446995846b2c2c598ad2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1420-3049 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:33:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecules |
| spelling | doaj.art-801c702365db446995846b2c2c598ad22023-11-22T08:53:21ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492021-08-012616488110.3390/molecules26164881The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of ComplexityAlan Herbert0Unit 3412, Discovery, InsideOutBio 42 8th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USAThe classical genetic code maps nucleotide triplets to amino acids. The associated sequence composition is complex, representing many elaborations during evolution of form and function. Other genomic elements code for the expression and processing of RNA transcripts. However, over 50% of the human genome consists of widely dispersed repetitive sequences. Among these are simple sequence repeats (SSRs), representing a class of flipons, that under physiological conditions, form alternative nucleic acid conformations such as Z-DNA, G4 quartets, I-motifs, and triplexes. Proteins that bind in a structure-specific manner enable the seeding of condensates with the potential to regulate a wide range of biological processes. SSRs also encode the low complexity peptide repeats to patch condensates together, increasing the number of combinations possible. In situations where SSRs are transcribed, SSR-specific, single-stranded binding proteins may further impact condensate formation. Jointly, flipons and patches speed evolution by enhancing the functionality of condensates. Here, the focus is on the selection of SSR flipons and peptide patches that solve for survival under a wide range of environmental contexts, generating complexity with simple parts.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/16/4881Z-DNAZ-RNAfliponssimple repeatscondensatesG4 |
| spellingShingle | Alan Herbert The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of Complexity Molecules Z-DNA Z-RNA flipons simple repeats condensates G4 |
| title | The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of Complexity |
| title_full | The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of Complexity |
| title_fullStr | The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of Complexity |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of Complexity |
| title_short | The Simple Biology of Flipons and Condensates Enhances the Evolution of Complexity |
| title_sort | simple biology of flipons and condensates enhances the evolution of complexity |
| topic | Z-DNA Z-RNA flipons simple repeats condensates G4 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/16/4881 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alanherbert thesimplebiologyoffliponsandcondensatesenhancestheevolutionofcomplexity AT alanherbert simplebiologyoffliponsandcondensatesenhancestheevolutionofcomplexity |