title: Genetic code preferentially conserves long-range interactions among the amino acids.
abstract: The physical properties of amino acids were investigated in order to evaluate their possible relationship to the assignment of codons for amino acids in the genetic code. A comparison of the interconversion probability between amino acids and the distances between the amino acids for individual physical properties revealed a striking hierarchy among the physical properties. Surprisingly, it is the long-range/solvent interactions and not the short-range/stereochemical properties which are preferentially conserved in the genetic code.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Poona, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sitaramam
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000235:genetics*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D003062:Codon; D005815:Genetic Code; D011336:Probability; D012333:RNA, Messenger
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D003062:Codon; D012333:RNA, Messenger