Salient Features of Genetic Code

Salient Features of Genetic Code

• The code is triplet. 61 codons code for amino acids and 3 codons do not code for any amino acids; these are called stop codons (UAG, UGA and UAA).
• Codon is unambiguous and specific. It codes for just one amino acid.
• The code is degenerate; this means that some amino acids are coded by more than one codon.
• The codon is read in mRNA in a continuous fashion; without any punctuation.
• The codon is nearly universal. AUG has a dual function. It codes for methionine amino acid and also acts as an initiator codon.