A Possible Role of Translation Ambiguity in Gene Evolution (A Hypothesis)

• Published in: Molecular biology (New York) Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 202 - 208
• Main Author: Inge-vechtomov, S G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer Nature B.V 01.03.2002
• Subjects: Evolution
• ISSN: 0026-8933; 1608-3245
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1015313821313

A hypothesis is put forward that the variability of translation machinery is one of the key factors of evolutionary transformations of genetic material. It considers the module principle of the evolution theory based on the concepts of duplication and divergence of genetic material, which is required for origination of new genes and proteins with new functions. The duplication results in the appearance of pseudogenes, functionally inactive, but serving a material for creating new functions. The possible mechanisms changing the translation machinery have been considered, which may lead to sporadic pseudogene activation "supplying" natural selection with mutational changes accumulated by pseudogenes to assess their adaptive value. This takes into account not only potential possibilities of mutational variability of the translation machinery, but also the possibility of protein prionization: also considered is a prion mechanism of inheritance, which is intensely studied nowadays.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]