[Origin and evolution of the genetic code]

Abstract

We propose a quantitative model which suggests that the present genetic code appeared under the influence of mutations, while optimizing its own resistance against their effects. Its evolution was realized by successive steps in which the number of translated codons grew, whereas the number of terminators decreased. The main constraint of this model is selection against nonsense mutations: the competition among many primitive codes gives advantage to those which resist best to the occurrence of nonsense mutations. The structures of the selected systems converge towards that of the present genetic code. This one appears then as built so as to resist to errors, information noise, mutations.