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The Genetic Code and the Origin of Life pp 183–200Cite as

Extant Variations in the Genetic Code

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Abstract

The discovery in the 1960s of an identical genetic code in Escherichia coli viruses and mammalian cells suggested that all living organisms use the same genetic code. The existence of a universal genetic code prompted Crick to propose the “Frozen Accident Theory” which states that the genetic code does not evolve. This theory was based on the assumption that in the last common ancestor, life-forms had reached a level of complexity that would not tolerate alterations in the identity of their codons. That is, once proteins had ac-quired a certain level of functionality, any alteration in codon identity would introduce struc-tural and functional disruption with a high probability that this would be lethal or highly detrimental.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal

    Manuel A. S. Santos

  2. Department of Biosciences, University of Kent, Kent, UK

    Mick F. Tuite

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  1. Manuel A. S. Santos
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Santos, M.A.S., Tuite, M.F. (2004). Extant Variations in the Genetic Code. In: The Genetic Code and the Origin of Life. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-26887-1_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-26887-1_12

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-306-47843-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-26887-3

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