Alternative flatworm mitochondrial code

Alternative Flatworm Mitochondrial Code is a variant of the standard genetic code used by some species of flatworms and other invertebrates. This code differs from the standard one in that it uses different codons to code for certain amino acids.

Overview

The mitochondrial DNA of some flatworms and other invertebrates uses an alternative genetic code known as the Alternative Flatworm Mitochondrial Code. This code is a variant of the standard genetic code, which is used by most organisms to translate mRNA sequences into proteins.

In the Alternative Flatworm Mitochondrial Code, the codons AGA and AGG, which normally code for the amino acid arginine in the standard code, are instead used to code for the amino acid serine. Similarly, the codon AAA, which normally codes for lysine, is used to code for asparagine.

Implications

The existence of the Alternative Flatworm Mitochondrial Code has important implications for our understanding of genetic evolution. It suggests that the genetic code is not as universal as once thought, and that it can vary between different species and even between different parts of the same organism.

This discovery also has potential applications in biotechnology, as it could be used to engineer organisms with novel properties by manipulating their genetic code.

See also

• Genetic code
• Mitochondrial DNA
• Codon
• Amino acid
• Flatworms