Definition
A type of codon that shows where to stop transcribing a gene. Stop codons are TAG, TGA and TAA.
Use in clinical context
Nonsense variants can arise in a gene and this introduces a premature stop codon into the sequence, stopping translation and resulting in a short mRNA and short protein. Usually this causes incorrect protein function, with resulting phenotypic effects for the individual. Nonsense variants can cause some rare conditions, including cystic fibrosis and beta-thalassaemia.
Related terms
Amino acids | Codon | Gene | Messenger RNA | Nonsense variant | Protein | Transcription
