A Genetic Instruction Code Based on DNA Conformation

Trends Genet. 2019 Dec;35(12):887-890. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.09.007. Epub 2019 Oct 25.

Abstract

Flipons are sequences capable of forming either right- or left-handed DNA under physiological conditions, forming a class of dissipative structures that trade metabolic energy for information by cycling DNA between different chromatin states. Flipons enhance the diversity of transcriptomes, increasing entropy while enabling the evolution of features both new and unexpected.

Keywords: Z-DNA Z-RNA; dissipative structure; entropy; evolution; flipon; genetic code.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • DNA / chemistry*
  • DNA / genetics*
  • DNA, Z-Form / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • Entropy
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Genetic Code*
  • Humans
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation*
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs

Substances

  • DNA, Z-Form
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • DNA