Prime numbers and the amino acid code: analogy in coding properties

J Theor Biol. 1991 Aug 7;151(3):333-41. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5193(05)80382-0.

Abstract

Natural numbers are characterized as being odd or even, prime or non-prime. If the quaternary information units of (DNA or RNA) nucleotide bases are assigned as 0 (for A), 1 (C), 2 (U or T) and 3 (G), then a unique set of amino acid numbers can be obtained by comparing the properties of numbers and coding properties. These numbers are: 0 for "stop" signals, 1 for Trp, 2 for Ile and 3 for Met. For other codons, synonymous quartets follow exclusively the P1 number series (prime numbers of the form 4n + 1); doublets mostly follow the P3 series (primes with quaternary remainder 3). A "one-to-one correspondence" between these numbers and the genetic code is established by considering their combinatorial specificities.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Genetic Code*
  • Models, Genetic*
  • Numerical Analysis, Computer-Assisted