Genetic code

Nirenberg synthesized polyuridylic acid corresponding to a chain of uracil nucleotides (U-U-U). When he used this as messenger RNA, it formed a protein, made up of only one amino acid: phenylalanine, establishing the mapping for U-U-U. Similar techniques were applied for the rest of the trinucleotides to work out the whole genetic code.
 Marshall Warren Nirenberg United States 1961 Genetic code

Nirenberg synthesized polyuridylic acid corresponding to a chain of uracil nucleotides (U-U-U). When he used this as messenger RNA, it formed a protein, made up of only one amino acid: phenylalanine, establishing the mapping for U-U-U. Similar techniques were applied for the rest of the trinucleotides to work out the whole genetic code.