Genetic code on the dyadic plane

Abstract

We introduce the simple parametrization for the space of codons (triples of nucleotides) by 8\times 8 table. This table (which we call the dyadic plane) possesses the natural 2-adic ultrametric. We show that after this parametrization the genetic code will be a locally constant map of the simple form. The local constancy of this map will describe degeneracy of the genetic code. The map of the genetic code defines 2-adic ultrametric on the space of amino acids. We show that hydrophobic amino acids will be clustered in two balls with respect to this ultrametric. Therefore the introduced parametrization of space of codons exhibits the hidden regularity of the genetic code.