proteins
The order of bases in nucleic acids is highly significant. The bases are like the letters of a four-letter alphabet. These "letters" can be combined to form "words. " Groups of three bases form words of the genetic code . Each code word, called a codon, stands for a different amino acid. A series of many codons spells out the sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide or protein Figure below . In short, nucleic acids contain the information needed for cells to make proteins. This information is passed from a body cell to its daughter cells when the cell divides. It is also passed from parents to their offspring when organisms reproduce.