The Genetic Code

The genetic code is the nearly universal set of rules by which information encoded within genetic material is translated into proteins by living cells. The code consists of a series of codons (a set of nucleotide triplets) that code for specific amino acids which will eventually form proteins. The codon list can be seen below.The genetic code is the basis of all life on planet Earth. Non universal genetic codes are found in some organisms and organelles. The genome of most organisms is inscribed in DNA, and in RNA in viruses.

The genetic code was revolutionized and deciphered by Marshall Nirenberg and his colleagues at the National Institutes of Health. In 1961 Hirenberg and Heinrich J. Matthaei were the first to discover and discern the function of codons. Within five years, the entire genetic code was dechiphered. Hirenberg also explained how RNA is related to protein synthesis.

The genetic code is the recipe for the majority of life on Earth. The RNA codons code for various proteins, which in turn build the structures of the body. The genetic code can be used to determine which areas of the chromosome control specific features and functions. This may also be used in the future to diagnose and cure many genetic and congenital diseases.

Sources:

https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/geneticcode.html

http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/resources/timeline/1961_Nirenberg.php