The sounds of the genetic code

[pioneer]

This idea came to me this morning. I haven't had too much time to let it sink, so take it will a grain of salt, but use it as seed for the imagination. If you look at the DNA double helix, it is composed to two sets of base pairs. So essentially, the genetic code along the double helix is a type of binary coding, where the dot is one base pair and the dash the other.

 

The nuclei acids or bases within the DNA are resonance structures. What that means are the electrons are delocalized so they share with the entire ring structure. The easiest example to see is benzene. It has six CH, that form a ring structure. At any one time, there are three double bonds and three single bonds, but these switch back and forth, C1=C2 becomes C1-C2, then back to C1=C2, (C1 equals carbon #1) etc.

 

So if if look at the resonance in the bases of DNA, these also exhibit a switching back and forth with the result the resonance structure we draw. But these are more complicated than benzene in that there are double rings and side groups, such that they can have more that two states.

 

Next, we have the hydrogen bonding hydrogen and the electrons they share. So depending on which state the resonance is in, the H and the electrons shared by the H, are being pulled to and fro.

 

This creates a theoretical possibility. The two bases that are hydrogen bonding, do not have to be in resonance synche, although this would minimize energy. If their resonance structures were out of phase, then the H-bond is no longer at minimum energy. It is still the same base pair, but the resonance phase difference will give a different note.

 

One possible application is DNA double helix that is trying to separate but is prevented because of the steric hindrance created by the helix. The hydrogen bonding is stuck, but under different circumstance it would separate. This higher energy level could translate to a resonance phase shift. Now the base pair and resonance is saying, "unpack me, get me out of this helix". The unpacking enzymes here the cry and move it to help.

 

I am not sure of the number of possible resonance combinations that the same H-bonds can see, but between each of the two base combinations. But there should be enough sounds to tell to which degree it is packed, or whether is needs to separate or not. It is an interesting angle to ponder. Theoretically one would have a binary code that also has various pitches.