genetic information of nucleic acids (deoxyribonucleic acid or ribonucleic acid)

The information that drives the process of life is encoded in the genome of the organism. Structurally defined, a genome is an organization of genetic information consisting of nucleic acids (deoxyribonucleic acid or ribonucleic acid). Arrangement of nitrogenous bases in the nucleic acid codes the information for

execution of cellular processes. Four types of bases (Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine and Thymine) are present in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) while in RNA Uracil replaces thymine group of any three bases on transcribed RNA represent a codon. With four types of bases, sixty four types of codons can be formed. Genetic information encrypted in these codons is released in the form of arrangement of polypeptides consisting proteins via mRNA intermediate. This universal process of flow of genetic information

from DNA to RNA to protein is known as the central dogma of life. The whole set of information coded in 64 codons, out of which 61 codes for one or more amino acids (building block of polypeptides/proteins) and three indicating where to stop is called the book of life or genetic code. Depending on the versatility

of living organism, variations of central dogma exist, where initial information can flow from RNA through DNA or RNA intermediate.

     To be considered as the driving force of life and information storehouse, a genetic material must have fulfilled some basic criteria. First of all, it should have a mechanism of storing vast informationl  in a limited place, yet in a manner simple enough to encrypt the information rapidly and easily by the organism as and when required. As explained above, arrangement of codons in DNA encrypt the information, which fulfill these criteria by being linear, continuous and simple to understand. A complete set of codon that drives synthesis of a functional polypeptide with defined start and end points is known as a gene. Genome, therefore, is a collection of genes that direct the function of life. Secondly, the language of the code should be .,niirsa1 so that decoding of information in organism X should not be a different process than in organism Y. I-low then, organisms vary in their genetic constitution and phenotypic expression which generates