Familiar biological, chemical and physical events credibly evolve the Standard Genetic Code

TL;DR

This paper proposes a credible evolutionary pathway for the Standard Genetic Code involving RNA interactions, code fusions, and selection processes, explaining its origin and the unity of life on Earth.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive model of genetic code evolution based on RNA interactions, code fusions, and selection, linking early RNA world events to the emergence of the SGC.

Findings

Convergence of early coding to SGC assignments.

Biosynthesis of complex amino acids via RNPT.

Evolution of codes and microbial carriers for life.

Abstract

The genetic code is profoundly shaped by an origin in ancient RNA-mediated interactions, needing an extended development to reach the Standard Genetic Code (SGC). That development can serially use RNA specificities, a ribonucleopeptide transition (RNPT), finally code escape and diaspora. An index of evolutionary plausibility based on least selection takes simultaneous account of speed and accuracy of evolution, identifying favored evolutions. Combining RNA world specificities allowed convergence of early coding to SGC assignments. Secondly, this was sufficient to launch a post-RNA-world RNPT. The RNPT allowed biosynthesis of complex amino acids, depending heavily on late code fusions between coexisting independent codes. Thirdly, escape from fluctuating, but highly-evolved codes of the RNPT applied a near-ideal selection for fastest-evolving and most accurate/useful genetic codes. Concurrently, a code and its microbial carrier suited to a free-living existence necessarily evolved. The established unity of life on Earth likely traces to SGC ascendancy during escape from the RNPT, and code diaspora.