initiating codon


in·i·ti·a·ting co·don

the trinucleotide AUG (or sometimes GUG) that codes for the first amino acid in protein sequences, formylmethionine; the latter is often removed post-transcriptionally. Synonym(s): start codon

in·i·ti·a·tion co·don

(i-nish'ē-ā'shŭn kō'don) A specific mRNA sequence (usually AUG, but sometimes GUG) that is the signal for the addition of fMet-tRNA and the beginning of translation.
Synonym(s): initiating codon.