Why Is AUG the Start Codon?

Demongeot, Jacques; Seligmann, Hervé

doi:10.1002/bies.201900201

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…Further studies should experimentally investigate the ring ALPHA as a potential catalyzer of peptide synthesis and search for its role in building after the RNA world, the protein and cell worlds and its role in consolidation of the genetic code, in accordance with previous knowledge in the field [98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Footprints of a Singular 22-Nucleotide RNA Ring at the Origin of Life

Demongeot

Henrion‐Caude

2020

Biology

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(1) Background: Previous experimental observations and theoretical hypotheses have been providing insight into a hypothetical world where an RNA hairpin or ring may have debuted as the primary informational and functional molecule. We propose a model revisiting the architecture of RNA-peptide interactions at the origin of life through the evolutionary dynamics of RNA populations. (2) Methods: By performing a step-by-step computation of the smallest possible hairpin/ring RNA sequences compatible with building up a variety of peptides of the primitive network, we inferred the sequence of a singular docosameric RNA molecule, we call the ALPHA sequence. Then, we searched for any relics of the peptides made from ALPHA in sequences deposited in the different public databases. (3) Results: Sequence matching between ALPHA and sequences from organisms among the earliest forms of life on Earth were found at high statistical relevance. We hypothesize that the frequency of appearance of relics from ALPHA sequence in present genomes has a functional necessity. (4) Conclusions: Given the fitness of ALPHA as a supportive sequence of the framework of all existing theories, and the evolution of Archaea and giant viruses, it is anticipated that the unique properties of this singular archetypal ALPHA sequence should prove useful as a model matrix for future applications, ranging from synthetic biology to DNA computing.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Footprints of a Singular 22-Nucleotide RNA Ring at the Origin of Life

Demongeot

Henrion‐Caude

2020

Biology

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“…In Bacteria, the first residue is N-formyl-Met. In our "genetic world", this is a consequence of the fact that AUG, 45 the codon for Met, is also the start codon. Curiously, however, even when protein synthesis is not triggered by the AUG codon, but by an alternative codon (e.g.…”

Section: Scheme 10 Editing Process Of Homocysteine On Metrsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sulfur Amino Acids: From Prebiotic Chemistry to Biology and Vice Versa

Youssef-Saliba

Vallée

2021

Synthesis

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Two sulfur containing amino acids are included in the list of the 20 classical protein amino acids. A methionine residue is introduced at the start of the synthesis of all current proteins. Cysteine, thanks to its thiol function, plays an essential role in a very large number of catalytic sites. Here we present what is known about the prebiotic synthesis of these two amino acids and homocysteine, and we discuss their introduction into primitive peptides and more elaborate proteins.

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“…This creates sixty-four codon triplets, sixty-one of which encode the twenty amino acids 1 , Table 1. When the mRNA codon AUG presents in the ribosome's decoding site, translation begins and amino acids are encoded 2 . Furthermore, the ribosome's decoding site changes shape according to which codon is within it 3,4 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Each of the twenty amino acids in the codon dictionary has its own numerical value

Bayles,

Heckert

2024

Preprint

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A codon’s three bases consist of any combination of uracil, cytosine, adenine, or guanine and these encode the twenty amino acids. When the codon’s first two bases are given specific values, and those values are multiplied, then the third base of the codon is used during translation only when the product is greater than three. Here we show that those values plus more variables within the ribosomal decoding site results in specific flow values for each of the twenty amino acid groups. These results are demonstrated in a flow chart showing the unidirectional flow which is expected during the translation process. All twenty amino acids can be represented by numbers that describe their relationship to each other and to the decoding site. We anticipate our findings will increase discussion about using a number system to better understand the translation process.

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Why Is AUG the Start Codon?

Cited by 11 publications

References 86 publications

Footprints of a Singular 22-Nucleotide RNA Ring at the Origin of Life

Footprints of a Singular 22-Nucleotide RNA Ring at the Origin of Life

Sulfur Amino Acids: From Prebiotic Chemistry to Biology and Vice Versa

Each of the twenty amino acids in the codon dictionary has its own numerical value

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