Recognition and molecular evolution in bacteria

One principal function of biological molecules in bacteria is to recognize other molecules. This allows cells to assemble for regulated enzymatic cata lysis and the integration of biochemical pathways. Recognition is also an e ssential and a specific property in base pairing of DNA in the double helix . Therefore, recognition events must have been central to early self-assemb ly of primitive genetic material, genomes, cells, genetic recombination and especially in enzyme-substrate-product recognition events. Molecular recog nition events are examined with an emphasis on their central role in early prokaryotic evolution.