Final answer:
Gene annotation is the process of attaching biological information to gene sequences to better understand their roles. The genetic code consists of codons, triplets of nucleotides, which code for amino acids in protein synthesis, and is universal, unambiguous, and redundant. Whole-genome sequencing is one of several gene sequencing types, aimed at deciphering the complete DNA sequence of an organism.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the realm of genetics, the annotation of a gene refers to the genome annotation process which is the attachment of biological information to gene sequences. This is critical for understanding the function, regulation, and evolutionary aspects of genes within a genome. The basic genetic code is composed of the sequences of nitrogenous bases represented by the letters A, G, C, and U (in mRNA) or T (in DNA). These letters are grouped into sets of three called codons, each of which corresponds to a specific amino acid or a start/stop signal during the protein synthesis process.
One can explore the genetic code by learning how these codons translate into amino acids, thus forming the primary structure of proteins. For example, to translate a segment of RNA like GUC-GCG-CAU-AGC-AAG into a sequence of five amino acids, each triplet codon is matched with its corresponding amino acid based on the genetic code chart. The genetic code is described as universal because it is consistent across almost all organisms, unambiguous as each codon codes for only one amino acid, and redundant because multiple codons can code for the same amino acid.
Whole-genome sequencing is a technique that involves determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome at a single time. There are several types of gene sequencing, including whole-genome sequencing, exome sequencing (focusing on the coding regions of the genome), and targeted gene sequencing (focusing on specific areas of interest).