Codon (triplet code)

- Codon = set of 3 nucleotides (like words in a sentence [which is the polypeptide chain] that ribosomes read) - The flow of information from gene to protein is based on a triplet code: a series of nonoverlapping, three-nucleotide words​ - The words of a gene are transcribed into complementary nonoverlapping three-nucleotide words of mRNA​ - These words are then translated into a chain of amino acids, forming a polypeptide​ - 1 gene = 1 polypeptide chain