The naturally designed spherical symmetry in the genetic code

Abstract

In the present work, 16 genetic code doublets and their cognate amino acids in the genetic code are fitted into a polyhedron model. Based on the structural regularity in nucleobases, and by using a series of common-sense topological approaches to rearranging the Hamiltonian-type graph of the codon map, it is identified that the degeneracy of codons and the internal relation of the 20 amino acids within the genetic code are in agreement with the spherical and polyhedral symmetry of a quasi-28-gon, i.e., icosikaioctagon. Hence, a quasi-central, quasi-polyhedral and rotational symmetry within the genetic code is described. Accordingly, the rotational symmetry of the numerical distribution of side-chain carbon atoms of the 20 amino acids and the side-chain skeleton atoms (carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur) of the 20 amino acids are presented in the framework of this quasi-28-gon model. Two evolutionary axes within the 20 standard amino acids are suggested.