PPT Slide

Deciphering the code

• 61 codons encode amino acids, 3 codons do not specify amino acids

• Specialized codons:

  - for start of translation - AUG
  
  - for STOP - UAA, UAG, UGA

• 61 codons encode 20 amino acids

- most amino acids are specified

by more than one codon

- degeneracy of the genetic code

Transfer RNA (tRNA) is the adapter

• tRNA has two crucial properties:

  - it caarries a single amino acid to which it is covalently linked
  
  - it contains the anticodon (complementary to the codon
  representing its amino acid)

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