Functional Vulnerability Index (V-index) for Genetic Code Degeneracy and Protein Functional Integrity: Applications to TP53 and HIV-1 Protease (V-index Part 3)

This study proposes a information theoretic framework, the Functional Vulnerability Index (V-index), for analyzing mutational dynamics in biological systems. We hypothesize that a mathematical equilibrium exists between genetic code degeneracy and protein functional integrity, which can be quantitatively modeled. This model was tested using real world datasets: the TP53 tumor suppressor gene and the HIV-1 protease sequence. Our findings suggest that the V-index may distinguish between the stability oriented evolutionary strategy of host cells and the efficiency optimized dynamics of viral systems. The fragility points identified by the model align with biologically critical regions, suggesting that the V-index could provide a theoretical foundation for future targeted therapeutic research. Technical Note / Errata: Although the manuscript mentions that the figures are pgfplots based, all visualizations in this study actually generated using Matplotlib. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Dimensionless Information Energy Entropy Index (V-index):Corrected Definition, Landauer Anchored Lower Bound,and a Variational Protocol Framing ( V-index Part 1 ) https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18284260 A Universal Balance in Holographic Quantum Gravity The V-index and its Invariance Across Holographic Frameworks (V-index Part 2) https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18288805 Functional Vulnerability Index (V-index) for Genetic Code Degeneracy and Protein Functional Integrity: Applications to TP53 and HIV-1 Protease ( V-index Part 3 ) https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18156730