Don't worry, you aren't completely ignorant of what the genetic code is:-)
I don't have to even look at the article to guess exactly what this person
is referring to. There are situations in which a particular codon (which
would come from the DNA code) is not translated into the usual amino acid
the tRNA has an anticodon that corresponds to another amino acid. So
instead of the typical chart you see in any basic biology book of what codon
corresponds to which amino acid there are actually exceptions. I wouldn't
be surprised if many more cases of altered tRNAs are found as more and more
genomes are sequenced. I did look up the article you mentioned and he does
make mention of a possible mechanism behind this transition but this isn't
the only one or even the prominent hypothesis. His explanation of mechanism
is far too simplistic. The article states:
"Here is the essence of what evolutionists are proposing. They propose that
every instance of a specific codon in the DNA is mutated and replaced by
another codon. This requires replacement of 1-5% of the entire genetic
sequence of an organism. Although this doesn't seem like a large amount of
the genome, it is the specificity of
replacement that makes this mechanism statistically impossible."
This is certainly an overestimate and doesn't at all appreciate the
tremendous changes in codon usage in many genomes such that many codons are
essentially unused in some organelles. As a result some codons are seldom
used and if changed (from one amino acid to another) would not necessitate
whole scale changes in genome composition.
I won't try to explain the proposed mechanisms for tRNA changes off the top
of my head but will try find the papers tomorrow. I am sure that there are
others though that are probably more familiar with the odd cases and can
illuminate you on this topic.
Joel
One paper I had at home that is really an interesting review of genome size,
codon flexibility, tRNAs and sybiotic bacterial genomes:
Andersson S.G.E and C.G. Kurland. 1995. Genomic evolution drives the
evolution of the translation system. Biochem Cell Biol. 73: 775-787.
>The article in question is:
>
>http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/6562/trnamut.html
>
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
I am now shamelessly promoting myself on the web. Please see
my extended curriculum vitae for job qualification
http://www.intrnet.net/~virkotto/joelduff.htm
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
Joel and Dawn Duff ,-~~-.___.
1156 E Pleasant Hill Rd. / | ' \ Spell Check?
Carbondale, IL 62901 ( ) 0
e-mail: duff@siu.edu \_/-, ,----'
or virkotto@intrnet.net ==== //
phone: (618) 549-0661 / \-'~; /~~~(O)
* * * * * * / __/~| / |
\\\/// \\\/// =( _____| (_________|
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
visit the OPC home page at http://www.opc.org/