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Origins of the protein synthesis cycle
Author(s) -
Fox Sidney W.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
international journal of quantum chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.484
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-461X
pISSN - 0020-7608
DOI - 10.1002/qua.560200739
Subject(s) - genetic code , polynucleotide , protocell , nucleic acid , lysine , amino acid , chemistry , sequence (biology) , protein biosynthesis , polymerization , nucleoside , biochemistry , combinatorial chemistry , polymer , organic chemistry , membrane
Largely derived from experiments in molecular evolution, a theory of the origins of protein synthesis cycles has been constructed. The sequence begins with ordered thermal proteins resulting from the self‐sequencing of mixed amino acids. Ordered thermal proteins then aggregate to cell‐like structures. When they contained proteinoids sufficiently rich in lysine, the structures were able to synthesize offspring peptides. Since lysine‐rich proteinoid (LRP) also catalyzes the polymerization of nucleoside triphosphate to polynucleotides, the same microspheres containing LRP could have synthesized both original cellular proteins and cellular nucleic acids. The LRP within protocells would have provided proximity advantageous for the origin and evolution of the genetic code.