Cochran Foundation

of Medical Research


Genetics Page

 

First Description of  DNA

The meaning of the Genetic Code 

 

Second Base

U

C

A

G

First Base

U

UUU - Phe

UCU - Ser

UAU - Tyr

UGU - Cys

UUC - Phe

UCC - Ser

UAC - Tyr

UGC - Cys

UUA - Leu

UCA - Ser

UAA - Term

UGA - Term

UUG - Leu

UCG - Ser

UAG - Term

UGG - Trp

C

CUU - Leu

CCU - Pro

CAU - His

 CGU - Arg

CUC - Leu

CCC - Pro

CAC - His

 CGC - Arg

CUA - Leu

CCA - Pro

CAA - Gln

 CGA - Arg

CUG - Leu

CCG - Pro

CAG - Gln

 CGG - Arg

A

AUU - Ile

ACU - Thr

AAU - Asn

 AGU - Ser

AUC - Ile

ACC - Thr

AAC - Asn

 AGC - Ser

AUA - Ile

ACA - Thr

AAA - Lys

 AGA - Arg

AUG - Met

ACG - Thr

AAG - Lys

 AGG - Arg

G

GUU - Val

GCU - Ala

GAU - Asp 

 GGU - Gly

GUC - Val

GCC - Ala

GAC - Asp

 GGC - Gly

GUA - Val

GCA - Ala

GAA - Glu

 GGA - Gly

GUG - Val

GCG - Ala

GAG - Glu

 GGG - Gly

 

Ala    (Ala A)         =         Alanine         (neutral ionic charge and hydrophobic)

Arg   (Arg R)         =         Arginine         (+ ionic charge - basic)

Asn   (Asn N)         =         Asparagine      (+ ionic charge - basic)

Asp   (Asp D)         =         Aspartic Acid  (- ionic charge - acidic)

Cys   (Cys C)         =         Cysteine         (neutral ionic charge and polar)

Gln    (Glu Q)         =         Glutamine         (neutral ionic charge and polar)

Glu    (Glu E)         =         Glutamic Acid  (- ionic charge - acidic)

Gly    (Gly G)         =         Glycine         (neutral ionic charge and polar)

His    (His H)         =         Histidine         (+ ionic charge - basic)

Ile     (Ile I)         =         Isoleucine         (neutral ionic charge and hydrophobic)

Leu   (Leu L)         =         Leucine         (neutral ionic charge and hydrophobic)

Lys    (Lys K)         =         Lysine         (+ ionic charge - basic)

Met   (Met M)         =         Methionine       (neutral ionic charge and hydrophobic)

Phe   (Phe F)         =         Phenylalanine   (neutral ionic charge and hydrophobic)

Pro    (Pro P)         =         Poline         (neutral ionic charge and hydrophobic)

Ser    (Ser S)         =         Serine         (neutral ionic charge and polar)

Thr    (Thr T)         =         Threonine         (neutral ionic charge and polar)

Trp    (Trp W)         =         Tryptophan      (neutral ionic charge and hydrophobic)

Tyr    (Tyr Y)         =         Tyrosine         (neutral ionic charge and polar)

Val    (Val V)         =         Valine         (neutral ionic charge and hydrophobic)

Term          =         Termination Cause

 

Any one of the four possible nucleotides (U, C, A, G) can occupy each of the three positions on the codon. So there are 43 or 64 possible combinations of tri-nucleotide sequences. There are more codons than the 20 amino acids from which proteins are synthesized. These tri-nucleotides are the only location on the genetic code in which the assigned amino acids can “lock on” to form a proper protein for proper cell expression.

 

With the finding of triplet nature of the code, two different methods were developed to allow the codons to be assigned systematically to the correct and represent amino acids. Both methods used an in vitro system consisting of components of the apparatus of synthesized proteins.

 

Protein synthesizing systems were translated by synthetic polynucleotides.

 

 

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Last modified: June 17, 2009