Early experiments on the genetic code

Researchers in the 1960's designed an experiment to determine how proteins could be synthesized from DNA. The experimental set-up included E. coli cell extract containing all of the components needed for protein synthesis in a cell-free system. To create this, researchers included a synthetic RNA strand made up of only uracil, with DNase added to remove other DNA in the system. They then prepared test tubes that each contained a single C${}^{14}$‍ radioactively labeled amino acid and nineteen unlabeled amino acids.

When they ran the experiment, they found the results shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Radiolabeled protein production with addition of poly-uracil RNA

This same experiment was repeated with poly-adenine and poly-cytosine RNA. This was the first of many steps in deciphering the codons of the genetic code. By 1966 researchers announced they had deciphered all of the codons for the twenty amino acids.