Why isoguanine and isocytosine are not the components of the genetic code

2009/06/19 by Andrzej Jaworski, Józef S. Kwiatkowski, Bogdan Lesyng · 2 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Chemistry · Materials Science · #Biology #Chemistry #Code (set theory) #Computer science #DNA #DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry #Enzyme Structure and Function #Genetic code #Genetics #Nucleic acid #Order (exchange) #Programming language #RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms #Stability (learning theory) #Stereochemistry #Tautomer

paper · doi:10.1002/qua.560280720

openalex publication_date 2009/06/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/23

Abstract

In order to answer the title question a comparison of the tautomeric stability and planar interactions of the nucleic acid bases with the corresponding data for isoguanine and isocytosine has been done. It has been concluded that insufficient tautomeric stability of the iso bases was probably the reason for their discrimination as the carriers of the genetic code during the code evolution.

Citations

• Genetical Implications of the Structure of Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Cited by

• Primitive Genetic Polymers
• Isoguanine [wikipedia]

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