title: Chain termination codons and polymerase-induced frameshift mutations.
abstract: The consensus sequence for single-base deletions in non-reiterated runs during in vitro DNA-dependent DNA polymerisation is refined using data available in the literature. This leads to the observation that chain termination codons are hotspots for single-base deletions. The evolutionary implications are discussed in two models which differ in whether polymerases evolved while the genetic code emerged or after the genetic code was fixed. A possible answer to the question 'Why are stop codons just what they are?' is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protein Engineering and Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Medical Research Council, Cambridge, UK. jlj@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jestin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kempf
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018388:Codon, Terminator; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D016368:Frameshift Mutation; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D018388:Codon, Terminator; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase