title: The origin of the genetic code in the ocean abysses: new comparisons confirm old observations.
abstract: I have analysed the amino acid substitution pattern between two pairs of nonbarophilic-barophilic organisms in order to confirm previous results. Indeed, the pattern deriving from a different pair of such organisms led to establish that the origin of the genetic code might have occurred in the ocean abysses. The hydrostatic pressure asymmetry indices computable from these matrices of amino acid substitutions confirm the correlation previously observed, even when differences in GC content are accounted for. As the three substitution matrices are independent between them, the old conclusion that the genetic code originated in the ocean abysses is considerably strengthened.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Molecular Evolution, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics Adriano Buzzati Traverso, CNR, Via P Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Napoli, Italy. digiulio@igb.cnr.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Giulio
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000235:genetics*; D005815:Genetic Code / Q000502:physiology*; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D008957:Models, Genetic; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins
keywords: Barophilic organisms; GC content; Genetic code codon number; Polarity and molecular weight of amino acids; Primordial physical environment