A stop codon is a nucleotide triplet within messenger RNA (mRNA) that signals the termination of protein synthesis during translation. It plays a crucial role in ensuring that proteins are produced with the correct length and sequence by indicating when the ribosome should stop adding amino acids to the growing polypeptide chain. There are three specific stop codons: UAA, UAG, and UGA, each of which does not code for any amino acid and instead promotes the release of the newly synthesized protein.
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