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How do start codons and stop codons help computer programs locate possible genes?

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Computer-generated model of anthrax toxin showing seven differently colored protein units, with a small gold molecule representing a drug bound to the protein structure. — bioinformatics This computerized image of anthrax shows the various structural relationships of seven units within the protein and demonstrates the interaction of a drug (shown in yellow) bound to the protein to block the so-called lethal factor unit. Bioinformatics plays an important role in enabling scientists to predict where a drug molecule will bind within a protein, given the individual structures of the molecules.

In the field of bioinformatics, computer programs identify potential genes by scanning DNA sequences for specific structural patterns known as open reading frames (ORFs).12

These programs utilize algorithms to locate segments that begin with a start codon—a specific triplet of nucleotides that signals the beginning of a protein—and continue for a gene-sized length without being interrupted by a stop codon. Stop codons, which are specific three-nucleotide sequences that signal the termination of protein synthesis, effectively mark the end of these potential coding regions.234

By identifying these start and stop markers, computers can flag candidate gene sequences within the vast amount of genomic data. Once these regions are identified, researchers can further analyze them by comparing the sequences to known genes in other organisms to predict their potential functions.12