Abstract
ONE of the essential relationships between nucleic acids and amino-acids in present biological systems, and perhaps in evolutionary precursors to these systems is expressed in binding and recognition interactions. Such interactions depend on the size, composition and conformation of the interacting species1–8. When the two reacting species are simple (that is, when neither is polymeric) one cannot expect to observe “specificity” of the sort implied in the biological use of the term. Working with monomeric species in aqueous media permits the effects of individual factors to be assessed so that more complex interactions between these molecules can be understood and their evolutionary potential evaluated.
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SAXINGER, C., PONNAMPERUMA, C. & WOESE, C. Evidence for the Interaction of Nucleotides with Immobilized Amino-acids and its Significance for the Origin of the Genetic Code. Nature New Biology 234, 172–174 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio234172a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio234172a0
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