it must be translated into the encoded protein. ... Each group of three nucleotides encodes one amino acid. ... Three is the minimum number of nucleotides per codon needed to encode 20 ... of the genetic code allows one to predict the amino acid sequence of any ... Not all base subsitutions alter the encoded amino acids.
The genetic code is the set of rules that defines how a nucleotide sequence in RNA is translated into an amino acid sequence in a protein. This code is common to all living beings (although there are small variations), which shows that it has had a unique origin and is universal, at least in the context of our planet.
