For proteins, at least, there is a lower limit on sequence length below which it is less likely to form a folded structure. Most proteins are around 200-250 ami

For proteins, at least, there is a lower limit on sequence length below which it is less likely to form a folded structure. Most proteins are around 200-250 amino acids long (see http://www.umich.edu/~zhanglab/publications/1996-2001/Zhang_2000_TIG_16_107.pdf http://www.umich.edu/~zhanglab/publications/1996-2001/Zhang_...). There is a reasonable theory that I remember discussing/reading once that proteins may have started out as long sequences and were then selected for shorter more stable versions. Presumably the early proteins were partly disordered, and only optimised for having stable cores and domain structures later on. In any case, it is not as simple as the number of bits in a program, as macromolecules are not 'just' software, but actual physical devices that have to (self)-assemble and carry out functions at various temperatures, pressures, pH, etc.