Optimization of the standard genetic code according to three codon positions using an evolutionary algorithm
Many biological systems are typically examined from the point of view of adaptation to certain conditions or requirements. One such system is the standard genetic code (SGC), which generally minimizes the cost of amino acid replacements resulting from mutations or mistranslations. However, no full consensus has been reached on the factors that caused the evolution of this feature.
…the optimality of SGC could be a by-product of other processes.
The standard genetic code (SGC) is one of the most intriguing products of evolution. Its origin and uniqueness remain mysterious, especially if we take into account the extremely large number of possible alternatives built from 61 codons encoding 20 amino acids and three stop translation codons. This figure is around 1.51⋅1084 [1], which substantially exceeds the number of hydrogen atoms in our observable universe.
…the SGC was not directly optimized to minimize the consequences of mutations and mistranslations and its optimization properties can be a by-product of other mechanisms.
Common Design 