X.3.3.1 The present-day genetic code could have emerged as a consequence of a unique, highly improbable, random event.

Some biologists have capitulated before this problem and prefer to assume that the genetic code never evolved but was rather formed directly in the present-day form.

            One hypothesis assumes that the formation of the genetic code is an example of a frozen accident (Crick 1968)According to this hypothesis, the genetic codewas formed through a random, highly improbable combination of its components formed by an abiotic route.Because of its great evolutionary potential, this system was successful in competition with all the other systems and has survived as the sole universal system to the present day.However, the complicated nature of the proteosynthetic apparatus and the age of our universe mean that there is very low probability of the correctness such a hypothesis.

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The classical Darwinian theory of evolution can explain the evolution of adaptive traits only in asexual organisms. The frozen plasticity theory is much more general: It can also explain the origin and evolution of adaptive traits in both asexual and sexual organisms Read more
Draft translation from: Evoluční biologie, 2. vydání (Evolutionary biology, 2nd edition), J. Flegr, Academia Prague 2009. The translation was not done by biologist, therefore any suggestion concerning proper scientific terminology and language usage are highly welcomed. You can send your comments to flegratcesnet [dot] cz. Thank you.