ATP Synthesis and Evolution

Correction for Primordial Soup Knowledge

When using the genetic code, the machinery inside the cell ensures that an amino acid used by life is always placed in the protein. Even if the DNA changes randomly with no restraints, this is true. So amino acids with the genetic code are effectively free. The knowledge calculated in the previous section using the genetic code is correct.

   The same cannot be said for the primordial soup knowledge. Even positions that allow all 20 amino acids used by life still contribute 2 bits (see chapter 5). This information must be added to the knowledge calculated in the previous analysis. On average G3PD contains 330 amino acids. Only 64 of these contributed to knowledge. Thus, 330 - 64 = 266 amino acids that contribute 2 bits each need to taken into consideration.

Total Knowledge in primordial soup =
266 amino acids x 2 bits + 515 bits = 1,047 bits.

Corrected average knowledge = 1,047/330 = 3.16 bits per amino acid.

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