codon

[ koh-don ]

noun

, Genetics.

1. a triplet of adjacent nucleotides in the messenger RNA chain that codes for a specific amino acid in the synthesis of a protein molecule. Compare anticodon ( def ).

codon

/ ˈkəʊdɒn /

noun

1. genetics biochem a unit that consists of three adjacent bases on a DNA molecule and that determines the position of a specific amino acid in a protein molecule during protein synthesis

codon

/ kō′dŏn′ /

1. A sequence of three adjacent nucleotides on a strand of a nucleic acid (such as DNA) that constitutes the genetic code for a specific amino acid that is to be added to a polypeptide chain during protein synthesis. Some amino acids are coded for by more than one codon, and some codons do not signal a particular amino acid but rather signal a stop to protein synthesis.

codon

1. A group of three bases on the DNA molecule . Each codon determines the identity of one amino acid in proteins made by the cell .

Word History and Origins

Origin of codon¹

An Americanism dating back to 1960–65; code + -on ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of codon¹

C20: from code + -on

Example Sentences

Other coronaviruses, such as ones causing the common cold, do have the CGG codon for arginine, albeit only a limited number in the so-called beta subgroup to which SARS-CoV-2 belongs.

From Time

The team then engineered a CRISPR system that targets the start codons of Top1—a chunk of DNA that acts as an “on switch” to activate the gene.

From Singularity Hub 

Racaniello adds that if a lab researcher was trying to modify a virus to measure its effect, the researcher wouldn’t use the codon pairing identified by Wade because its effect would be too unpredictable.

From Nautilus

An even more telling detail to Wade is that this uncommon arginine codon shows up twice in that small segment of the virus’s genome.

From Nautilus