kodón

A kodón is a fundamental unit of the genetic code used in molecular biology to represent individual amino acids during the process of protein synthesis. It consists of a sequence of three nucleotides within messenger RNA (mRNA) that corresponds to a specific amino acid or a termination signal in the translation process. The term "kodón" derives from the Greek word "kodos," meaning "bell," symbolizing the signaling role these sequences play.

In the genetic code, each kodón specifies which amino acid will be incorporated into a protein. There are 64 possible kodón combinations, formed from the four nucleotides adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil (U), three at a time. Out of these, 61 kodóns encode amino acids, while the remaining three serve as stop signals, signaling the end of protein synthesis.

During translation, transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules recognize the kodón sequence via their complementary anticodon region and deliver the corresponding amino acid to the growing polypeptide chain. This process is highly conserved across biological systems, with some variations in the genetic code among different organisms and organelles.

Understanding kodóns is crucial for fields like genetics, synthetic biology, and genetic engineering, as they form the basis for gene expression and manipulation. Synthetic biology techniques often involve designing or modifying kodón sequences to optimize protein production in various host organisms.

Overall, the kodón is an essential element of genetic information transfer, translating genetic instructions into functional proteins that sustain life processes.