How to read a codon table

Use in protein synthesis for

translating the mRNA code into
amino acid sequence
 You need a sequence of
mRNA
• Where does this come from?
From the transcription
of DNA --> mRNA

Example:

DNA sequence: TAC GGA CAT AAC ACC TGC ATC

mRNA sequence: AUG CCU GUA UUG UGG ACG UAG
 Transcription
• mRNA sequence leaves the nucleus and travels to
the cytoplasm to a free floating ribosome or to
the rough ER.
• It will attach to the ribosome and begin the
second step of protein synthesis, translation.
 Translation
• mRNA is read as a series of codons (three letters)
within the ribosome.
• tRNA molecules have an anticodon sequence of
letters that are complements to the mRNA

ex: mRNA CGA UCC (codon)

tRNA GCU AGG (anticodon)
 So now we get to the codon table!

• Locate the first letter

of your codon using
the left side of the
table.
• Ex. AUG
• look for the A
• Now move to the second
letter of your codon which is
‘U’
• Look at the top of the table
where you see the title ‘2nd
letter’
• Find the letter ‘U’ and follow it
down until it intersects with
the letter ‘A’ from the left side.
• You should see four amino
acids (isoleucine, isoleucine,
isoleucine, and (start)
methionine.
• Down to the last letter
of the codon!
• Look to the right hand
side for the third letter.
Find the letter ‘G’ which
will intersect with the
box that had our four
choices.
• Move your finger from
the ‘G’ on the left over
to the left and you
should land on …..
Methionine (start)
• Yes you did it!!!
• Now try another codon
 Try the codon CAC

Don’t peek until you

come up with
your answer!

Did you get the

amino acid
‘histidine’?
 What do these codons have to do
with proteins?
• Each codon represents
an amino acid that will
eventually form a
Long string
protein that is used of amino
acids will
within a cell. form

• Proteins are made up of

hundreds of amino acids
in a specific sequence.
• When they get “out of
order’ a mutation
occurs.