ToolerWork
Biology

DNA to Protein Translator

Translate DNA into amino acids in any of six reading frames using the standard genetic code.

Your sequence

Paste raw letters or one FASTA record

Up to 100,000 bases or residues. Whitespace and a single FASTA header are accepted. Invalid characters are flagged.

Sequences are processed locally and are not uploaded or saved by this tool.

Your result, clearly explained

Paste a sequence or load the example, then run the tool. Your sequence stays in this browser.

How to use

  1. Paste DNA

    Enter a 5′ to 3′ sequence or a single FASTA record.

  2. Choose a reading frame

    Use +1, +2 or +3, or translate the reverse complement with a negative frame.

  3. Translate and review

    Check stop symbols and unknown codons, then copy or download the protein.

Why ToolerWork?

Private by design

Sequence calculations run inside your browser.

Clear assumptions

Strand direction, code table and approximation limits are explained.

Related Tools

View All

Why use this tool?

  • Compare reading frames without changing your source sequence.
  • Identify incomplete triplets, stop codons and ambiguous translations.
  • Export a protein FASTA record for the next analysis step.

Method & assumptions

The translator reads triplets using NCBI standard genetic code table 1. Negative frames use the reverse complement. Translation begins at the selected offset, even without an ATG. Ambiguous codons become X; incomplete final triplets are not translated. This does not splice introns or apply mitochondrial genetic codes.

References: NCBI genetic codes

Explore all 10 biology tools →

Frequently asked questions

Why does my protein contain an asterisk?

An asterisk marks TAA, TAG or TGA, the stop codons in the standard code. Choose stop at the first stop codon to end translation before that symbol.

What do the six reading frames mean?

Positive frames start at bases 1, 2 or 3 of your input. Negative frames start at bases 1, 2 or 3 of its reverse complement. Both strands are interpreted 5′ to 3′.

What happens to an N or another ambiguous base?

Every triplet containing a non-ACGT IUPAC base becomes X. Even a triplet that could resolve to a single amino acid is conservatively marked unknown here.

Does the translator find genes automatically?

No. It translates the selected frame directly. Use the ORF Finder to locate ATG-start candidate coding regions with coordinates.

Can I translate genomic DNA with introns?

You can translate its letters, but the result is not a predicted mature protein. Supply the spliced coding sequence and the correct frame for meaningful translation.