What term describes the system whereby nucleotide triplets in DNA and RNA carry information for synthesizing proteins?

What term describes the system whereby nucleotide triplets in DNA and RNA carry information for synthesizing proteins?

• A. Genetic code
• B. Codon
• C. Polypeptide
• D. Amino acids

Answer: (A)

Information for making proteins is carried by nucleotide triplets, and the genetic code is the mapping that assigns each triplet (codon) to a specific amino acid or to a stop signal during protein synthesis. This code operates during translation, where the sequence of codons in mRNA guides the assembly of amino acids into a polypeptide with the help of tRNA. A codon is the three-nucleotide unit itself, but the system that links those units to amino acids—the set of rules translating codons into a protein sequence—is the genetic code. Start signals and stop signals are part of this code, helping to define where translation begins and ends, and the code is largely universal across organisms.

Information for making proteins is carried by nucleotide triplets, and the genetic code is the mapping that assigns each triplet (codon) to a specific amino acid or to a stop signal during protein synthesis. This code operates during translation, where the sequence of codons in mRNA guides the assembly of amino acids into a polypeptide with the help of tRNA. A codon is the three-nucleotide unit itself, but the system that links those units to amino acids—the set of rules translating codons into a protein sequence—is the genetic code. Start signals and stop signals are part of this code, helping to define where translation begins and ends, and the code is largely universal across organisms.