Definition

Noun: The standard system in molecular biology where a set of three consecutive nucleotide bases (a codon) in a DNA or RNA sequence specifies a particular amino acid during protein synthesis. This is the fundamental coding unit of the genetic information.

Usage

The term "triplet code" is used to describe the foundational, non-overlapping, and nearly universal rule by which genetic information is translated from nucleic acids to proteins. * The discovery of the triplet code was a major breakthrough in understanding how genes direct the construction of proteins. * Each amino acid in a protein is encoded by a specific triplet code in the messenger RNA.

Advanced Usage

• "Degeneracy of the triplet code": Refers to the fact that most amino acids are encoded by more than one possible triplet codon, providing redundancy in the genetic system.
  • The degeneracy of the triplet code helps protect against harmful effects of some mutations.

Variants and Related Words

• Codon (noun): The specific sequence of three nucleotides that constitutes a unit of the genetic code. This is the functional instance of a triplet code.
  • The codon AUG is the triplet code that signals the start of translation.
• Genetic code (noun): The complete set of correspondences between codons and amino acids; the triplet code is the structural basis of the genetic code.

Synonyms

• Genetic codon: Emphasizes the coding function within genetics.
• Nucleotide triplet: A more chemically descriptive term for the same unit.

Related Phrases

• "Read in triplets": Describes the process by which the cellular machinery interprets the genetic sequence.
  • The ribosome must read the mRNA sequence in triplets to assemble the correct protein.

Noun

1. the normal version of the genetic code in which a sequence of three nucleotides codes for the synthesis of a specific amino acid