{"90021":{"#nid":"90021","#data":{"type":"event","title":"(11-0318) Prof. Stephen Freeland, University of Hawaii, Manoa","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EProf. Stephen Freeland, University of Hawaii, Manoa\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe evolution of a genetically encoded amino acid alphabet\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERiboEvo Special Seminar\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELife on our planet has evolved to construct itself from two distinct types of polymer - nucleic acid and protein - linked by an interface known as the genetic code. By ~3 billion years ago, evolution had standardized each biopolymer to comprise a specific repertoire, or alphabet, of monomeric building blocks: 4 nucleotides and 20 amino acids. Even the interface had arrived at a standard genetic code specifying exactly which amino acid is \u0022meant\u0022 (encoded) by each possible 3-nucleotide genetic code-word (codon). Here I will present three aspects of research to understand how and why this fundamental evolutionary outcome emerged, with an emphasis on the amino acid alphabet.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI will begin by summarizing previous work that reveals the standard genetic code as decidedly non-random in terms of the pattern by which amino acids are assigned to codons. Through a brief discussion of possible interpretations for this finding, I will turn to current research that seeks to make sense of evolution\u0027s \u0022choice\u0022 of amino acids from a larger pool of chemical possibilities. I will then finish by describing a new project that seeks to reconcile different lines of evidence for the origin and growth of the amino acid alphabet - including a potential future collaboration with GA Tech\u0027s research into the origin of ribosomal peptide synthesis.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more information contact \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:loren.williams@chemistry.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EProf. Loren Williams\u003C\/a\u003E (404-894-9752).\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"Prof. Stephen Freeland, University of Hawaii, Manoa\n\nThe evolution of a genetically encoded amino acid alphabet\n\nRiboEvo Special Seminar","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Prof. Stephen Freeland, University of Hawaii, Manoa"}],"uid":"27275","created_gmt":"2010-11-30 01:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 01:47:00","author":"Shirley Tomes","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","field_event_time":{"event_time_start":"2011-03-18T17:00:00-04:00","event_time_end":"2011-03-18T18:00:00-04:00","event_time_end_last":"2011-03-18T18:00:00-04:00","gmt_time_start":"2011-03-18 21:00:00","gmt_time_end":"2011-03-18 22:00:00","gmt_time_end_last":"2011-03-18 22:00:00","rrule":null,"timezone":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/evolvingcode.webs.com\/","title":"Prof. Stephen Freeland, University of Hawaii"}],"groups":[{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"5804","name":"Thesis defense"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[{"id":"1791","name":"Student sponsored"}],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EShirley Tomes\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EChemistry \u0026amp; Biochemistry\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=st81\u0022\u003EContact Shirley Tomes\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-0591\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}