genetic code
noun
the biochemical instructions that translate the genetic information present as a linear sequence of nucleotide triplets in messenger RNA into the correct linear sequence of amino acids for the synthesis of a particular peptide chain or protein.
Compare codon, translation(def 9).
Origin of genetic code
First recorded in 1960–65
Words nearby genetic code
British Dictionary definitions for genetic code
genetic code
noun
biochem
the order in which the nitrogenous bases of DNA are arranged in the molecule, which determines the type and amount of protein synthesized in the cell. The four bases are arranged in groups of three in a specific order, each group acting as a unit (codon), which specifies a particular amino acid
See also messenger RNA, transfer RNA
Medical definitions for genetic code
genetic code
n.
The sequence of nucleotides that is the basis of heredity in the DNA molecule of a chromosome and that specifies the amino acid sequence in the synthesis of proteins.
Scientific definitions for genetic code
genetic code
[ jə-nĕt′ĭk ]
The sequence of nucleotides in DNA and RNA that serve as instructions for synthesizing proteins. The genetic code is based on an alphabet consisting of sixty-four triplets of nucleotides called codons. The order in which codons are strung together determines the order in which the amino acids for which they code are arranged in a protein.
Cultural definitions for genetic code
genetic code
The code that translates the sequence of nucleotides in genes along the DNA strand into the structure of protein, which, through its action as an enzyme, governs one chemical reaction in the cell. A simple mnemonic is “One gene codes for one protein which runs one reaction.”
notes for genetic code
All living things share the same genetic code, a fact that represents strong evidence for
evolution. Unraveling the genetic code was one of the great scientific achievements of the twentieth century, and it opened the way to
genetic engineering.