Codons

A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides (the building blocks of DNA and RNA) that specifies an amino acid, the basic unit of proteins. Think of it as a three-letter word in the genetic code that instructs the cell on which amino acid to add next during protein synthesis. Since there are four types of nucleotides, combinations of three form 64 possible codons, which encode all the amino acids needed to make proteins or signal the start or end of a protein. Essentially, codons are the genetic language that guides the creation of proteins essential for life.