Paradigms and paradoxes: decoding the “genetic code”

We propose to keep the term “genetic code” to describe the nucleotide sequence in DNA and RNA and use the term “genetic cipher” to describe the key for decoding the genetic codes of DNA and RNA into the amino acid sequences of proteins.

Francis Crick described the "genetic code" as "the key to molecular biology, because it shows how the two great polymer languages, the nucleic acid language and the protein language, are linked together" [2]. However, the term genetic code is properly used to describe the nucleotide sequences in DNA/ RNA; hence there are a very large number of genetic codes (plural) in nature. The other (improper) use of the term genetic code (singular) is a misnomer, which has been used to describe the rule (algorithm) for translating the language of genetic codes (DNA and RNA nucleotides) into the language (amino acids) of proteins. This latter improper use of the term genetic code has introduced confusion and the need for meticulous explanation each time it is used. For example, on February 8, 2004, a few months before Crick died, one of us (Hargittai) visited him and in our conversation with him, we discussed the question, who was the first to raise the issue of the genetic code? This is how this part of the conversation began: "Let us start with defining what the genetic code is, so that we all agree what it is we are talking about. The genetic code is the means by which information is transmitted from the bases of the nucleic acids to the amino acids of the proteins" [3]. Thus, the need to define what was meant by the genetic code pointed to the clumsiness and confusion originating from the double meaning of the term. Incidentally, Crick agreed that the history of the initiative to search for this key or algorithm needed clarification. According to Crick, he had discussed it in presentations only but never recorded it in any publication, and even his lecture notes relating to this topic had been lost.
In conclusion, the purpose of this note is to clearly define and delineate the terms genetic code and genetic cipher to promote clear communication about these two critical, but fundamentally different, concepts in molecular biology. It would have been better had Crick insisted on this separation of the terms. It would have happened a lot earlier and it would have been a lot easier for him to get it accepted. Still, it should be done because these crucial terms are to remain with us indefinitely. Changing the term "The Genetic Code" to "The Genetic Cipher" would both accurately describe its true biological function and make the definition of "genetic code" consistent with the presence and biological function of numerous genetic codes within all genomes in nature.
Funding Open access funding provided by Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

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Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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