On the context-sensitive grammar of the genetic code

We address the possibilities of the semiotic description of the genetic information as a dual and self-replicative system of correspondence between its biochemical substance and semiotic form of organization. Combining the principles of contextual dependence and arbitrariness of sign leads to the conclusion that the genetic code's primary elements (nucleotides) can be considered not as biochemical constants but as semiotic or, more precisely, grammatical variables. We suggest describing the genetic code as a language, consisting of 1) units of the alphabet; 2) a vocabulary that includes meaningful items and the rules of correspondence between units of different levels; 3) context-sensitive grammar - a system of rules for the formation of units based on abstract grammatical categories.