AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -A codon is a sequence of three DNA or RNA nucleotides that corresponds with a specific amino acid or stop signal during protein synthesis. DNA and RNA molecules are written in a language of four nucleotides; meanwhile, the language of proteins includes 20 amino acids.

Detailed explanation-2: -A codon is a DNA or RNA sequence of three nucleotides (a trinucleotide) that forms a unit of genomic information encoding a particular amino acid or signaling the termination of protein synthesis (stop signals). There are 64 different codons: 61 specify amino acids and 3 are used as stop signals.

Detailed explanation-3: -Codons in an mRNA are read by a ribosome during translation. A ribosome is a particle-like cell organelle made of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and ribosomal proteins. A ribosome consists of two major components: the small and large ribosomal subunits. Three binding sites for tRNA (A, P, and E sites) between the two subunits.

Detailed explanation-4: -The tRNA “reads” the mRNA codon by using its own anticodon. The actual “reading” is done by matching the base pairs through hydrogen bonding following the base pairing principle. Each codon is “read” by various tRNA’s until the appropriate match of the anticodon with the codon occurs.

Detailed explanation-5: -In the protein-coding region of a gene, the DNA sequence is interpreted in groups of three nucleotide bases, called codons. Each codon specifies a single amino acid in a protein.