While there is much commonality, different parts of the tree of life use slightly different genetic codes. When translating from genome to protein, the use of the correct genetic code is essential. The mitochondrial codes are the relatively well-known examples of variation. The translation table list below follows the numbering and designation by NCBI.
The standard code
The vertebrate mitochondrial code
The yeast mitochondrial code
The mold, protozoan, and coelenterate mitochondrial code and the mycoplasma/spiroplasma code The invertebrate mitochondrial code The ciliate, dasycladacean and hexamita nuclear code The kinetoplast code; cf. table 4. cf. table 1. The echinoderm and flatworm mitochondrial code The euplotid nuclear code The bacterial, archaeal and plant plastid code The alternative yeast nuclear code The ascidian mitochondrial code The alternative flatworm mitochondrial code The Blepharisma nuclear code The chlorophycean mitochondrial code The trematode mitochondrial code The Scenedesmus obliquus mitochondrial code The Thraustochytrium mitochondrial code The Pterobranchia mitochondrial code The candidate division SR1 and gracilibacteria code The Pachysolen tannophilus nuclear code The karyorelict nuclear code The Condylostoma nuclear code The Mesodinium nuclear code The peritrich nuclear code The Blastocrithidia nuclear code The Balanophoraceae plastid code The Cephalodiscidae mitochondrial code
The alternative translation tables (2 to 33) involve codon reassignments that are recapitulated in the list of all known alternative codons.
Table summary
Comparison of alternative translation tables for all codons (using IUPAC amino acid codes):
Notes
Three translation tables have a peculiar status: Table 7 is now merged into translation table 4. Table 8 is merged to table 1; all plant chloroplast differences due to RNA edit. Table 15 is deleted in the source but included here for completeness.
Other mechanisms also play a part in protein biosynthesis, such as post-transcriptional modification.