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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 ).

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

genetic code

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.

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.”

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Notes

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 .

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Word History and Origins

Origin of genetic code¹

First recorded in 1960–65

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The team looked for pieces of genetic code that were common in overweight dogs.

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The problem the researchers were trying to overcome is that a human's genetic code is extremely long - consisting of 3 billion separate chemical units.

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But the ability to extract and read the genetic code from bones that are many thousands of years old has lifted a veil on our mysterious past.

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Within a cell, DNA carries the genetic code for building proteins.

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Cells copy the code of genes into pieces of RNA and these RNAs act as messengers that ferry the genetic codes to the ribosomes, which use it to create proteins.

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genetically modified organism genetic counseling

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