Tim Tillman <tillman at ithink.net> wrote in message
news:7ejugn$jrh at net.bio.net...
> I did not want to post this question to sci.bio.evolution because I wanted
a
> serious discussion to possibly develop. OK, here's the question ...
>> DNA utilizes deoxyribose (5C) in its sugar-phosphate backbone. The
question
> is why is this so? Why wasn't arabinose (4C), any hexose or levo-hexose
> (6C) used?
Higgins responded via email ...
> The Earth-centric view would likely be in the vein of Gould's "It's a
> Wonderful Life" in that it's a 'frozen' accident.
OK, if the fact that ribose was chosen for incorporation is a 'frozen'
accident, what was the selective pressure that caused ribose to prevail and
kept it on the job lo these many years?
Tim
