genetic code: Meaning and Definition of

genet'ic code'

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. the biochemical instructions that translate the genetic information present as a linear sequence of nucleotide triplets in messenger RNA into the correct linear sequence of amino acids for the synthesis of a particular peptide chain or protein. Cf.(def. 9).
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.