Pterobranchia mitochondrial code

Pterobranchia Mitochondrial Code is a variant of the standard genetic code used by the Pterobranchia class of marine invertebrates. This code is unique to the Pterobranchia class and is one of the few known deviations from the standard genetic code.

Overview

The mitochondria in cells of Pterobranchia use a different genetic code than the rest of the organism. This is known as the Pterobranchia mitochondrial code. The code is a set of rules that specifies how a sequence of nucleotides in a RNA molecule is translated into proteins.

Differences from the Standard Genetic Code

The Pterobranchia mitochondrial code differs from the standard genetic code in several ways. For example, the codon UGA, which normally codes for the amino acid Tryptophan, is read as a stop codon in the Pterobranchia mitochondrial code. Similarly, the codon AUA, which normally codes for the amino acid Isoleucine, is read as Methionine in the Pterobranchia mitochondrial code.

Implications

The existence of the Pterobranchia mitochondrial code has important implications for our understanding of evolution and genetics. It suggests that the genetic code can evolve and adapt over time, and that different organisms can use different genetic codes.

See Also

• Genetic code
• Mitochondrial DNA
• Pterobranchia