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Genetics Info & Tutorial: Codons |
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Proteins are simply long chains of Amino Acids. There are something like 20 different amino acids. The order they are put together, and which ones are used, determines what protein is created. Proteins do all kinds of important things in the body. Some proteins catalyze reactions, meaning they help a process take place. These proteins are called enzymes, and one of the common functions enzymes have is in digesting food. Another enzyme, called Tyrosinase, is needed to produce melanin, which is the black pigment in reptiles and mammals. |
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Above you can see how the codons in DNA are used to create proteins. The process is much more involved than what is demonstrated here, but the point is that the order of the base pairs ends up determining what is built. In this animation, each codon has a counterpart which grabs on to it. On one end, it matches up with the codon. On the other end, it is matched up with a certain amino acid. |
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