Reading a Codon Chart

These flashcards summarize key vocabulary related to reading a codon chart, including definitions and concepts necessary for understanding the codon-amino acid relationship.

Codon Chart

A visual representation of how sequences of three nucleotides (codons) correspond to specific amino acids.

Amino Acid

Organic compounds that combine to form proteins; they are the building blocks of life.

First Letter

The first nucleotide in a codon, determining the specific row in a codon chart.

Second Letter

The second nucleotide in a codon, used to find the corresponding column in the codon chart.

Third Letter

The third nucleotide in a codon, which helps to locate the specific amino acid in the codon chart.

Stop Codon

Codons that signal the termination of protein synthesis; they do not code for an amino acid.

Leucine (Leu)

An amino acid coded by the codons CUA, CUG, UUA, and UUG.

Cysteine (Cys)

An amino acid coded by the codons UGU and UGC.

Phenylalanine (Phe)

An amino acid coded by the codons UUU and UUC.

Methionine (Met)

An amino acid coded by the codon AUG and typically the start codon for protein translation.

Reading Codon Tables

Involves identifying the first, second, and third letters of a codon to determine the corresponding amino acid.

Circle Codon Chart

A method of reading codons by starting at the center and moving outward to identify amino acids.

Table Codon Chart

A method of reading codons by using a grid layout that includes rows and columns for nucleotide positions.