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Review
. 2023 Aug;91(4):382-390.
doi: 10.1007/s00239-023-10120-5. Epub 2023 Jun 1.

Main Factors Shaping Amino Acid Usage Across Evolution

Guillermo Lamolle #  1 , Diego Simón #  1   2   3 , Andrés Iriarte  1   4 , Héctor Musto  5
Affiliations
Review

Main Factors Shaping Amino Acid Usage Across Evolution

Guillermo Lamolle et al. J Mol Evol. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

The standard genetic code determines that in most species, including viruses, there are 20 amino acids that are coded by 61 codons, while the other three codons are stop triplets. Considering the whole proteome each species features its own amino acid frequencies, given the slow rate of change, closely related species display similar GC content and amino acids usage. In contrast, distantly related species display different amino acid frequencies. Furthermore, within certain multicellular species, as mammals, intragenomic differences in the usage of amino acids are evident. In this communication, we shall summarize some of the most prominent and well-established factors that determine the differences found in the amino acid usage, both across evolution and intragenomically.

Keywords: Amino acid cost; Amino acids; GC content; GC-skew; Hydropathy; Optimal growth temperature.

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