Human Biochemistry Volume 2 - Murray R. 1993

Structure, Function, and Replication of Information Macromolecules
Protein Synthesis and the Genetic Code
Introduction

The language of life—METABOLISM/28.html">The Genetic Code—is based on an alphabet consisting of just four letters: A, G, T, and C. These letters correspond to the NUCLEOTIDES found in DNA. They form three-letter code words known as codons. The complete set of these codons constitutes the genetic code. The sequence of a series of codons arranged in a DNA chain forms a specific Gene, which serves as a template for synthesizing an RNA molecule. Most RNA molecules participate in one way or another in Protein Synthesis. Protein synthesis consists of three main stages: initiation, elongation, and termination. This process strongly resembles DNA Replication and Transcription, and likewise proceeds in the 5'→3' direction.



Last update: 06/08/2026

Editorial and Educational Adaptation: This material has been compiled based on the primary/original source text. The project team performed an editorial review, corrected technical inaccuracies, structured sections, and adapted the content for an educational format.

What was processed:

  • elimination of formatting defects (OCR errors, structural breaks, corrupted characters);
  • editorial organization of content;
  • standardization of terminology in accordance with academic sources;
  • verification of factual statements against the original source text.

All mentions of the author, publication year, and origin of the primary text have been preserved in accordance with the source.