Three letter segments of mRNA code for specific
amino acids through the process of translation.
During translation, a molecule called transfer RNA (tRNA) binds to specific three-letter segments of messenger RNA (mRNA), known as codons. Each codon codes for a specific amino acid.
For example:
- The codon AUG codes for the amino acid methionine, which serves as the start codon for translation.
- The codon UUU codes for the amino acid phenylalanine.
- The codon AAA codes for the amino acid lysine.
- The codon GGG codes for the amino acid glycine.
There are a total of 64 possible codons, which code for the 20 different amino acids found in proteins. Some amino acids are coded by multiple codons, which creates redundancy in the genetic code and helps protect against errors during translation.