Genetic Code

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Terms

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Terms

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.

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