What does anticodon mean?
An anticodon is a sequence of three nucleotides found on a transfer RNA (tRNA) molecule. During protein synthesis, it pairs with a complementary three-nucleotide codon on messenger RNA (mRNA), allowing the ribosome to add the correct amino acid to the growing polypeptide chain. Because each anticodon matches only particular codons — though Crick's 'wobble' hypothesis showed that some flexibility exists at the third position — the anticodon acts as a crucial checkpoint in translating genetic information into functional proteins. The term belongs firmly to molecular biology and genetics, appearing in textbooks, research papers, and classroom discussions rather than everyday conversation. Understanding the anticodon is essential for grasping how the genetic code works: it is the molecular bridge between the language of nucleic acids and the language of proteins, making it one of the foundational concepts in modern biology.
nounA sequence of three nucleotides on a transfer RNA (tRNA) molecule that pairs with a complementary codon on messenger RNA during protein synthesis, ensuring the correct amino acid is added to the growing polypeptide chain.
- The complementary three-base sequence on a tRNA molecule that pairs with a specific mRNA codon during translation.
"Each tRNA carries an anticodon that base-pairs with a specific mRNA codon, delivering the right amino acid to the ribosome."
"Mutations in the anticodon region of a tRNA gene can cause the wrong amino acid to be incorporated into a protein."
"Crick's wobble hypothesis explained why some anticodons can pair with more than one codon."
Standard English pluralization; used when referring to multiple tRNA molecules or their recognition triplets collectively.
"Different tRNAs carry different anticodons, allowing them to recognize distinct mRNA codons."
The anticodon is how DNA's four-letter alphabet gets translated into life's twenty-amino-acid vocabulary — one tiny molecular handshake at a time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anticodon
The word 'anticodon' derives from 'codon', coined in the early 1960s by molecular biologists working out the genetic code — notably by Sydney Brenner and others building on Francis Crick's work. The prefix 'anti-' reflects the complementary, opposite-facing relationship between the tRNA triplet and its mRNA counterpart. It shares its root with related terms such as 'codon', 'genetic', and 'nucleotide', all products of mid-twentieth-century molecular genetics.
How anticodon is actually used
Strictly a technical term used in molecular biology and genetics; rarely encountered outside scientific literature and education. Plural is 'anticodons'.
Easily confused with anticodon
A codon is a three-nucleotide sequence on messenger RNA that specifies an amino acid, whereas an anticodon is the complementary three-nucleotide sequence on transfer RNA that recognizes and binds to that codon.