Codons & Genetic code
CODON &GENETIC CODE
- Codon- is a sequence of three adjacent bases that corresponds to one of the amino acid.
- There are 64 possible codon of sequence.
- Four nucleotide bases A, G, C and U.
- If 4 bases 44 = 256 amino acids.
- Methionine has only 1 codon.
- Genetic code is the system of nucleotide sequences of mRNA that determines the sequence of amino acids in protein.
- Characteristics of genetic codes-
1. Triplet codon– each amino acid has triplet sequence.
2. Degenerate (Redundant)–
- A given amino acid may have more than one codon.
- Degeneracy of the codon lies in the 3rd base.
3. Universal– a specific codon represent a specific amino acid in all the species.
- Genetic coder are found in human mitochondria, code is-
- AUA codes for methionine instead of isoleucine.
- AGA and AGG serve as as stop codon.
- UGA also codes for Selenocysteine, a mechanism called translational recording.
4.Unambiguous/ Specific– a particular codon always codes for the same amino acid
5. Non overlapping and nonpuntate (comma less)– reading of genetic code does not involve overlapping sequence.
- E.g.- AUGCUA GACUUU reads as AUG/CUA/GAC/UUU without punctuation (comma) between codons.
6. Stop or termination or nonsense codons–
- The three nucleotide triplets do not code for any amino acid are- UAA (amber), UAG (ochre), UGA (opal) called as nonsense codons that normally signal termination of polypeptide chains.
- Wobble Hypothesis- states that a single tRNA can recognise more than one codon.
- Base pairing of 3rd base of codon (at 31 end) often fails to recognize the specific complementary base codon (at 51 end at tRNA)
- Wobble explains the degeneracy of genetic code.
- A minimum of 31 tRNAs are required to translate all 61 different codons for the amino acids.
- Gene- is the smallest functional unit of genome. 2 types
- Inducible gene
- Constitutive gene (housekeeping genes)- genes whose expression is not regulated
- Cistron- is the smallest unit of genetic expression.
- The codons that designate the same amino acid are called synonyms.
Exam Important
- Information for synthesis of protein is contained in the mRNA.
- Thymine is not involved in codons.
- 64 (43) possible codon sequences.
- tRNA acts as the adapter molecule between the codon and specific amino acid.
- UUU is the codon for phenylalanine.
- Degeneracy of the codon lies in the 3rd base.
- Amino acid with maximum number codons are Serine, Arginine, Leucine.
- Monocistronic- e.g. eukaryotic mRNA
- Polycistronic- e.g. Prokaryotic mRNA
Don’t Forget to Solve all the previous Year Question asked on Codons & Genetic code



