What is the role of codons during protein synthesis?

Codons play a crucial role in protein synthesis by specifying the sequence of amino acids that will make up a protein. A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides on the mRNA, and each codon corresponds to a specific amino acid or a stop signal during the translation process. During translation, ribosomes read the sequence of codons in mRNA and use that information to assemble a chain of amino acids in the correct order, ultimately folding into a functional protein.

This process begins when mRNA is created from DNA through transcription, but codons themselves are specifically involved in the translation phase, where the information encoded in the mRNA is used to build proteins. This makes the role of codons central to translating the genetic code into functional proteins, highlighting their importance in the synthesis of biological molecules crucial for life.