Experimental Test of L- and D-Amino Acid Binding to L- and D-Codons Suggests that Homochirality and Codon Directionality Emerged with the Genetic Code
L-amino acids bind preferentially to their D-codons, but almost nothing is known about whether D-amino acids correspondingly prefer L-codons, or how codon directionality affects amino acid binding. To investigate these issues, two D-RNA-oligonucleotides having inverse base sequences (D-CGUA and D-AU...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2010-06-01
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| Series: | Symmetry |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/2/2/1180/ |
| _version_ | 1798041546751213568 |
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| author | Robert Root-Bernstein |
| author_facet | Robert Root-Bernstein |
| author_sort | Robert Root-Bernstein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | L-amino acids bind preferentially to their D-codons, but almost nothing is known about whether D-amino acids correspondingly prefer L-codons, or how codon directionality affects amino acid binding. To investigate these issues, two D-RNA-oligonucleotides having inverse base sequences (D-CGUA and D-AUGC) and their corresponding L-RNA-oligonucleotides (L-CGUA and L-AUGC) were synthesized and their affinity determined for Gly and eleven pairs of L- and D-amino acids. The data support the hypothesis (Root-Bernstein, Bioessays 2007; 29: 689–698) that homochirality and codon directionality emerged as a function of the origin of the genetic code itself. Further tests involving amplification methods are proposed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:23:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8e69629b59484b87b25bedec6fcf770e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-8994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T22:23:01Z |
| publishDate | 2010-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Symmetry |
| spelling | doaj.art-8e69629b59484b87b25bedec6fcf770e2022-12-22T04:00:01ZengMDPI AGSymmetry2073-89942010-06-01221180120010.3390/sym2021180Experimental Test of L- and D-Amino Acid Binding to L- and D-Codons Suggests that Homochirality and Codon Directionality Emerged with the Genetic CodeRobert Root-BernsteinL-amino acids bind preferentially to their D-codons, but almost nothing is known about whether D-amino acids correspondingly prefer L-codons, or how codon directionality affects amino acid binding. To investigate these issues, two D-RNA-oligonucleotides having inverse base sequences (D-CGUA and D-AUGC) and their corresponding L-RNA-oligonucleotides (L-CGUA and L-AUGC) were synthesized and their affinity determined for Gly and eleven pairs of L- and D-amino acids. The data support the hypothesis (Root-Bernstein, Bioessays 2007; 29: 689–698) that homochirality and codon directionality emerged as a function of the origin of the genetic code itself. Further tests involving amplification methods are proposed.http://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/2/2/1180/homochiralityorigin of genetic codecodonamino acidchiral bindingmolecular complementarityorigin of lifeselectivity |
| spellingShingle | Robert Root-Bernstein Experimental Test of L- and D-Amino Acid Binding to L- and D-Codons Suggests that Homochirality and Codon Directionality Emerged with the Genetic Code Symmetry homochirality origin of genetic code codon amino acid chiral binding molecular complementarity origin of life selectivity |
| title | Experimental Test of L- and D-Amino Acid Binding to L- and D-Codons Suggests that Homochirality and Codon Directionality Emerged with the Genetic Code |
| title_full | Experimental Test of L- and D-Amino Acid Binding to L- and D-Codons Suggests that Homochirality and Codon Directionality Emerged with the Genetic Code |
| title_fullStr | Experimental Test of L- and D-Amino Acid Binding to L- and D-Codons Suggests that Homochirality and Codon Directionality Emerged with the Genetic Code |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental Test of L- and D-Amino Acid Binding to L- and D-Codons Suggests that Homochirality and Codon Directionality Emerged with the Genetic Code |
| title_short | Experimental Test of L- and D-Amino Acid Binding to L- and D-Codons Suggests that Homochirality and Codon Directionality Emerged with the Genetic Code |
| title_sort | experimental test of l and d amino acid binding to l and d codons suggests that homochirality and codon directionality emerged with the genetic code |
| topic | homochirality origin of genetic code codon amino acid chiral binding molecular complementarity origin of life selectivity |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/2/2/1180/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT robertrootbernstein experimentaltestoflanddaminoacidbindingtolanddcodonssuggeststhathomochiralityandcodondirectionalityemergedwiththegeneticcode |