Question

What is gene coding?

Answer 1

Gene coding or genetic coding:

1. The genetic code can be defined as the set of certain rules, using which the living cells translate the information encoded within genetic material (DNA or mRNA sequences) into proteins.
2. The genetic code consists of the unique sequence of nitrogen bases (A,T,G,C) in DNA or RNA.

Characteristics of Genetic Code:

1. A group of three set of nitrogen bases codes for a particular protein and is known as codon.
2. Each codon is unique and codes for one particular amino acid only, (AUG codes for methionine only), hence the genetic code is said to be non-ambiguous.
3. The codons are read in sequence following with the start codon (AUG) and ends with an end termination codon (UAG, UAA, UGA).
4. Genetic code is universal, i.e. one codon codes for the same protein in all the organisms (UUC codes for phenylalanine in all the organisms).
5. Genetic coding is said to be degenerative as some amino acids are coded by more than one codon. (Eg : GGG,GGA,GGC GGU all code for glycine).
6. The ribosomes are responsible to accomplish the process of translation and transcription.
7. In transcription, the DNA sequence of a gene is “ rewritten” in RNA.
8. In translation, the sequence of nucleotides in the mRNA is translated into a sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.