reading frame
Nucleotide parsing window
A reading frame is the way a sequence of genetic code is divided into three-letter groups (codons) for translation into proteins.
Since DNA and RNA are read three nucleotides at a time, shifting the starting point by one or two positions produces entirely different groupings and thus different proteins.
A frameshift mutation—an insertion or deletion that isn't a multiple of three—throws off the reading frame and typically produces a nonfunctional protein.
Protein synthesis site
- mRNAGene's working copy
- tRNAAmino acid transporter molecule
- anticodontRNA's matching triplet
- amino acidProtein's molecular subunit
polypeptide · protein synthesis · elongation · initiation · termination · peptide bond · genetic code · degeneracy
Base triplet encoding amino
- tripletSet of three
- nucleotideGenetic code subunit
- base pairTwo matched nucleotides bonded
- sequenceOrdered succession of elements
upstream · downstream · exon · intron
Base addition or loss misaligns codons
- insertionPlacing something within
- deletionRemoval of content
- nonsense mutationAlteration creating early termination signal
- missense mutationBase swap changing amino acid
ribosome
Protein synthesis site
amino acid · polypeptide · protein synthesis · elongation · initiation · termination · peptide bond · genetic code · degeneracy
codon
Base triplet encoding amino
- tripletSet of three
- nucleotideGenetic code subunit
- base pairTwo matched nucleotides bonded
sequence · upstream · downstream · exon · intron
sequence alignment
Arranging molecular strings for comparison
frameshift mutation
Base addition or loss misaligns codons
- insertionPlacing something within
- deletionRemoval of content
- nonsense mutationAlteration creating early termination signal
- translationtranslator, literal translation, literary translation, free translation, French translation
- geneticsDNA, allele, genotype, genes, gene