What is the genetic code primarily composed of?

The genetic code is fundamentally a set of rules that define how the sequence of nucleotide bases in messenger RNA (mRNA) translates into amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. Codons, which are sequences of three nucleotides in mRNA, correspond to specific amino acids or signal the end of protein synthesis. This relationship between codons and amino acids is crucial for protein formation, making the collection of codons in mRNA central to the definition of the genetic code.

While DNA and tRNA also play important roles in genetics and protein synthesis, they are not the primary components of the genetic code itself. DNA sequences govern traits and serve as the blueprint for mRNA, while tRNA's role is to carry the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome for protein assembly, interpreting the codons of the mRNA. The essence of the genetic code lies in how mRNA codons dictate protein synthesis.