Scientists Discover Microbe That Defies Biology’s Golden Rule
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have uncovered a remarkable organism that challenges one of the most fundamental principles of biology: the strict interpretation of the genetic code. This discovery could reshape our understanding of how life processes information at the molecular level. 🔬 Breaking the Genetic Code The Golden Rule of Biology : For over 60 years, scientists believed that each codon (a sequence of three nucleotides in DNA or RNA) corresponds to one specific amino acid or a stop signal. This rule was considered universal and unbreakable. The Exception : The newly studied archaeon (a type of single-celled organism) reads the same codon in two different ways. In some cases, it interprets the codon as a stop signal, while in others, it uses it to insert an amino acid into a protein. Why It Matters : This dual interpretation overturns decades of dogma, showing that genetic translation is more flexible than previously thought. 🌍 Implications for...