Genetic code evolution as an initial driving force for molecular evolution

TL;DR

This paper proposes that the evolution of the genetic code was a fundamental driving force behind molecular evolution, explaining variations in genomic and proteomic properties observed in contemporary species.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical model linking genetic code evolution to molecular variations, aligning well with experimental data and enabling reconstruction of primordial genetic and amino acid sequences.

Findings

Genomic base compositions and amino acid frequencies result from genetic code evolution.

Theoretical results match experimental observations in variation trends.

Genomic data can reconstruct early genetic code and amino acid chronology.

Abstract

There is an intrinsic relationship between the molecular evolution in primordial period and the properties of genomes and proteomes of contemporary species. The genomic data may help us understand the driving force of evolution of life at molecular level. In absence of evidence, numerous problems in molecular evolution had to fall into a twilight zone of speculation and controversy in the past. Here we show that delicate structures of variations of genomic base compositions and amino acid frequencies resulted from the genetic code evolution. And the driving force of evolution of life also originated in the genetic code evolution. The theoretical results on the variations of amino acid frequencies and genomic base compositions agree with the experimental observations very well, not only in the variation trends but also in some fine structures. Inversely, the genomic data of contemporary species can help reconstruct the genetic code chronology and amino acid chronology in primordial period. Our results may shed light on the intrinsic mechanism of molecular evolution and the genetic code evolution.