360 A. E. MIRSKY 



The fact that small, relatively simple polynucleotides can function in ATP 

 synthesis is of interest from the evolutionär}^ point of view. It may be that this 

 was the original role of the polynucleotide structure and that the evolution of 

 the cell brought with it a parallel molecular evolution in which these non- 

 specific polysaccharide molecules were gradually modified to take on a new 

 complexity and assimie a new function : a role in the transmission of hereditary 

 specificity. 



REFERENCES 



1. V. G. Allfrey, S. Osawa & A. E. Mirsky, J. gen. Physiol., 40, 451, 1957. 



2. S. OsAWA, V. G. Allfrey & A. E. Mirsky, J. gen. Physiol., 40, 491, 1957. 



3. V. G. Allfrey & A. E. Mirsky, Proc. nat. Acad. Sei., Wash., 43, 589, 1957. 





