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ERROR CONTROL. "Most polymerases lack intrinsic error-checking activity, relying on Watson–Crick base pairing for their fidelity. However, the proofreading (exonuclease) domains of Pol δ and Pol ɛ ensure that these polymerases have a particularly low error rate, of the order of 10(-7) substitution mutations per base. A variety of in vitro studies has shown that proofreading improves replication fidelity approximately 100-fold." https://lnkd.in/eXdfD76 View in LinkedIn

SO ENDS the contemplation of protein diversity on planet earth, the most common proteins, and the number of sequences experimented with by Evolution since life began. And how relatively few templates can give rise to startling diversity of protein structures, and how they in turn collaborate into yet more structures. This is surely a snapshot of an evolutionary machine of extraordinary wit and ingenuity. View in LinkedIn

RATIONAL DISCUSSION. "We conclude that the number 20(100) and similar large numbers are simply ‘straw men’ advanced to initiate discussion in the same spirit as the ‘Levinthal paradox’ of protein folding rates. We hope that our calculation will also rule out any possible use of this big numbers ‘game’ to provide justification for postulating divine intervention." https://lnkd.in/eyPrQUq View in LinkedIn

VIRAL GENOME EDITING AS EVOLUTIONARY DRIVERS. "These competences integrate the whole toolbox of natural genetic engineering, replication, transcription, translation, genomic imprinting, genomic creativity, enzymatic inventions and all types of genetic repair patterns." https://lnkd.in/e-pJFM6 View in LinkedIn

PLANETARY TOTAL. "For comparison with our calculation, Mandecki (1998) gave a limit of 10(50) protein sequences since the origin of life... (In contrast) we arrive at a figure of 4×10(21) different protein sequences tested since the origin of life." https://lnkd.in/eyPrQUq View in LinkedIn

PRECISE EDITING. "It is becoming increasingly evident that the driving forces of evolutionary novelty are not randomly derived chance mutations of the genetic text, but a precise genome editing by omnipresent viral agents." An extraordinary statement to wrap your mind around, and contrary to previous thinking. Re-read and re-digest. https://lnkd.in/e-pJFM6 View in LinkedIn

PLANETARY TOTAL. "For comparison with our calculation, Mandecki (1998) gave a limit of 10(50) protein sequences since the origin of life... (In contrast) we arrive at a figure of 4×10(21) different protein sequences tested since the origin of life." https://lnkd.in/eyPrQUq View in LinkedIn

RANDOM MUTATIONS, or more recently, horizontal gene transfer, have been widely considered to be the primary driver of genetic diversity, and with that diversity, a richer toolbox for selective evolutionary pressures to squeeze out newly adapted genomes and creatures from the edges of their Bell Curves. View in LinkedIn

2ND ASSUMPTION. "The contribution to this number of sequences by viral and eukaryotic genomes is difficult to estimate but it is very unlikely to be orders of magnitude greater than the 4×10(43) sequences from bacteria. If their contribution is similar or smaller, then it can be ignored in our rough calculation." https://lnkd.in/eyPrQUq View in LinkedIn

TRADE-OFF. "The majority of the new viral mutations are deleterious to the virus from a natural selection perspective. Was the high mutation rate of viruses a trade off for selection for faster replication rates?" Faster replication rates afforded the ability to evolve more rapidly and adapt to new niches faster. https://lnkd.in/e9KGgbm View in LinkedIn