Term: codon
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01123

Definition:
The sequence of three consecutive nucleotides that occurs in mRNA which directs the incorporation of a specific amino acid into a protein and includes also the starting or termination signals of protein synthesis.

Related Terms:
1) sequence (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.ST06775).
2) termination (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.T06274).
3) nucleotides (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.N04255).
4) mrna (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M03857).

Source: PAC, 1992, 64, 143. 'Glossary for chemists of terms used in biotechnology (IUPAC Recommendations 1992)' on page 150 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199264010143)

Citation: 'codon' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.C01123

License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms.

Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.