UNSW Embryology

DNA- Genetic Codes

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Introduction

DNA sequences can be interpretted and used in many different ways by different organisms. There is even a preference for specific amino acid codons within the code. Below are the Genetic Codes for Vertebrate DNA and their Mitochondrial DNA. On another page are all the Genetic Codes from the NCBI Page.

1. The Standard Code (transl_table=1)

By default all transl_table in GenBank flatfiles are equal to id 1, and this is not shown. When transl_table is not equal to id 1, it is shown as a qualifier on the CDS feature.

 

    AAs  = FFLLSSSSYY**CC*WLLLLPPPPHHQQRRRRIIIMTTTTNNKKSSRRVVVVAAAADDEEGGGG
  Starts = ---M---------------M---------------M----------------------------
  Base1  = TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
  Base2  = TTTTCCCCAAAAGGGGTTTTCCCCAAAAGGGGTTTTCCCCAAAAGGGGTTTTCCCCAAAAGGGG
  Base3  = TCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAG

 

Click here to change format

Initiation Codon:

AUG

 

Alternative Initiation Codons
(Prats et al. 1989; Hann et al. 1992)

CUG, UUG

2. The Vertebrate Mitochondrial Code (transl_table=2) 

    AAs  = FFLLSSSSYY**CCWWLLLLPPPPHHQQRRRRIIMMTTTTNNKKSS**VVVVAAAADDEEGGGG
  Starts = --------------------------------MMMM---------------M------------
  Base1  = TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
  Base2  = TTTTCCCCAAAAGGGGTTTTCCCCAAAAGGGGTTTTCCCCAAAAGGGGTTTTCCCCAAAAGGGG
  Base3  = TCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAGTCAG

 

Click here to change format

 

Differences from the Standard Code:

        Code 2          Standard
                  
 AGA    Ter  *          Arg  R
 AGG    Ter  *          Arg  R
 AUA    Met  M          Ile  I
 UGA    Trp  W          Ter  *

Alternative Initiation Codon:

Bos: AUA
Homo: AUA, AUU
Mus: AUA, AUU, AUC
Coturnix, Gallus: also GUG (Desjardins and Morais, 1991)

Systematic Range:

Vertebrata

 

Comment:

The transcripts of several vertebrate mitochondrial genes end in U or UA, which become termination codons (UAA) upon subsequent polyadenylation.

m.hill@unsw.edu.au
Date Last Modified: 11/3/99
This site maintained by Dr M. Hill