Final answer:
The DNA code is deciphered to make proteins, which involves translating the sequence of nucleotide bases into amino acids. This genetic code is fundamental to the process of protein synthesis, with 61 codons encoding amino acids and three that signal to stop the synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The DNA code was once deciphered to make proteins. DNA is composed of nucleotides represented by the letters A, T, C, and G, which pair up in specific ways (A with T, and G with C) to form genes. Genes carry the instructions for the sequence of amino acids that make up proteins. The genetic code is translated from DNA to messenger RNA (mRNA), and then to proteins during the process of protein synthesis. Each set of three nucleotides, known as a codon, corresponds to one amino acid or a stop signal during protein synthesis. There are 61 codons that encode amino acids and three that are stop codons. The elegance of this system is that despite having only four letters in the DNA alphabet, due to the vast number of nucleotides, a tremendous variety of proteins can be encoded.