基因密码子与互补密码子使用的相关分析

遗传密码是基因与蛋白质进行信息对接的桥梁,研究不同进化阶层生物的密码子与互补密码子的使用规律是揭示物种进化的一种重要途径.为了阐明不同生物和细胞器基因密码子与互补密码子使用之间的内在联系及其在进化中的意义,作者选取了44种细胞生物、16种病毒、40种线粒体和20种叶绿体的基因密码子与互补密码子数据,并进行关联分析.结果显示:(1)无论是古细菌,真细菌,病毒,真核生物还是两类细胞器,它们的密码子与互补密码子的使用频率大多表现为显著或极显著正相关;(2)不同生物和细胞器基因密码子与互补密码子使用频率之间相关程度也存在明显的异质性.细胞生物和两类细胞器基因密码子与互补密码子使用的高度一致性反映了它们可能具有共同的起源,显著的异质性则反映了它们分别经历了不同的进化选择压力.密码子与互补密码子的使用相关程度不仅能被用作为测量物种进化过程中所经历选择压力的指标,而且也能被用作为碱基摆动和修饰的指示器.此外,文中还对生物进化早期存在DNA双链同时具有编码基因功能的可能性进行了讨论.

Correlation Analyses of Codons and Corresponding Complementary Codons Usage

To reveal the relationship between codons and corresponding complementary codons usage, the data of codon and corresponding complementary codon usage from 44 cellular organisms, 16 viruses, 40 mitochondria and 20 chloroplasts were analyzed. Significant correlations between codons and corresponding complementary codons usage were found in the majority of the studied subjects except viruses, albeit there was also significant heterogeneity among them. The degree of correlation between codons and corresponding complementary codons usage may be used as an index not only for measuring the degree of selection force during organism evolution, but also for exploring the degree of anticodons' modification and wobbling-pairing with corresponding codons within organisms. In addition, it is also discussed that the two strands of DNA may have simultaneous coding function in the early stage of organism evolution.