-
Amino Acid
The building block of proteins.
-
Codon
A three-nucleotide sequence in an mRNA sequence. Used to specify an amino acid.
-
Degenerate
Term used to describe the genetic code. Means that more than one codon can specify for a single amino acid.
-
Extragenic supression
A type of mutation that occurs outside of the genetic code, but has an effect on the amino acid sequence that is translated from the genetic code.
-
Frameshift mutation
One class of genetic code mutation that results from the insertion or deletion of a nucleotide to an mRNA sequence. Results in a new reading frame.
-
Genetic Code
The series of codons that make up an organism's DNA.
-
Intragenic suppression
A type of mutation that occurs within the genetic code to suppress a different mutation.
-
Missense mutation
One class of genetic code mutation that results from the substitution of one base group for another in a codon. Results in the change of the amino acid for which the codon specifies.
-
Mutation
An error in the genetic code caused most often by a the incorrect substitution, insertion, or deletion of a nucleotide.
-
Nonsense mutation
One class of genetic code mutation that results from the substitution of one base group for another in a codon. Results in a stop codon, a codon that can no longer be recognized by tRNA molecules.
-
Reading frame
One of three possible ways of grouping an mRNA sequence by threes to yield an amino acid sequence.
-
Silent Mutation
A substitution base mutation that changes a codon, but because of degeneracy does not change the amino acid that codon specifies.
-
Stop codon
A codon that is not recognized by a tRNA molecule. One of three codons: UAA, UAG, or UGA. Signals the termination of DNA translation.
-
Suppressor mutation
A type of genetic code mutation that alters the result of a different mutation. Can be either extragenic or intragenic.
-
Synonyms
Codons that code for the same amino acid.
-
True reversion
One type of suppression mutation that leads to the restoration of the natural genetic code sequence.