title: Driving change: the evolution of alternative genetic codes.
abstract: Pioneering studies in the 1960s that elucidated the genetic code suggested that all extant forms of life use the same genetic code. This early presumption has subsequently been challenged by the discovery of deviations of the universal genetic code in prokaryotes, eukaryotic nuclear genomes and mitochondrial genomes. These studies have revealed that the genetic code is still evolving despite strong negative forces working against the fixation of mutations that result in codon reassignment. Recent data from in vitro, in vivo and in silico comparative genomics studies are revealing significant, previously overlooked links between modified nucleosides in tRNAs, genetic code ambiguity, genome base composition, codon usage and codon reassignment.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cell Biology, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. msantos@bio.ua.pt
authors.forename: Manuel A S
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Massey
authors.forename: Mick F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Tuite
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003062:Codon; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005815:Genetic Code; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D011506:Proteins; D012343:RNA, Transfer