DNA translation
Translate a nucleotide sequence into protein in any reading frame.
The default for nuclear genes in most organisms.
Frame +1
0 aa
codon → amino acid, 3 nt per residue- Genetic code tables — NCBI Taxonomy, 2024
When to use this
Use this to translate DNA or RNA into protein in any of the six reading frames, under a genetic code you choose. Reach for it when you need to confirm a construct is in frame, or find the open reading frame in a sequence you have just been handed.
Worked example
Checking that a cloned insert is in frame.
- Sequence
- ATGGCTAGCTAGCCATGG
- Genetic code
- Standard
Result
The stop at codon four is a frameshift or a genuine stop — either way this construct will not express the full protein.
What people get wrong
- Assuming frame +1. Six frames exist and the biologically meaningful one is often not the first; the tool shows all six so the choice is visible.
- Using the standard code for mitochondrial genes. Vertebrate mitochondria read TGA as tryptophan rather than stop, so the standard table truncates the protein at the first one.
- Translating a sequence whose length is not a multiple of three without noticing the trailing bases are dropped.
Questions
+Which reading frame should I use?
The one that gives a long open reading frame starting at a methionine and ending at a stop. For a known construct, the frame is set by where the ATG sits relative to your cloning site.
+Why does my mitochondrial gene stop early?
Because you are probably using the standard code. Select the vertebrate mitochondrial code, where TGA is tryptophan.
+What do the asterisks mean?
Stop codons. A stop in the middle of an expected coding region is the thing to look at.
Related tools
- Reverse complement — Generate the reverse, complement or reverse complement of a sequence.
- GC content calculator — Measure GC content and base composition of a nucleotide sequence.
Science last reviewed .