key term - Codons

Definition

Codons are sequences of three nucleotides in DNA or RNA that correspond to specific amino acids or stop signals during protein synthesis.

Related terms

Amino Acids:

These are organic compounds that combine to form proteins.

mRNA (Messenger RNA):

This molecule carries the genetic information copied from DNA in the form of a series of three-base code “words,” each of which specifies a particular amino acid.

Translation:

The process where ribosomes in a cell's cytoplasm create proteins, following transcription of DNA to RNA in the cell's nucleus.