The Genetic Code

The correspondence between the RNA triplets or codons and specific amino acids that are used to form a particular protein is called the genetic code.

For example, the triplet code UUC on a messenger RNA always pairs with the transfer RNA that carries the amino acid phenylalanine.

This is the Genetic Code table. Find the codon UUC by starting with the left column, then going across the top, and then down the right column. UUC corresponds to the amino acid phenylalanine.

The genetic code is the same in nearly all organisms.