right protein and backtracking to the mRNA

Identifying the right protein and backtracking to the mRNA pattern is extremely
helpful, but it still doesn’t divulge the identity of the gene. (Problems include
the fact that mRNAs are often heavily edited before they’re translated into
proteins [see Chapter 9] and the fact that the code is degenerate, meaning
that more than one codon can be used to get a particular amino acid). The
protein provides a general idea of what the gene address is, but it’s not precise
enough. To close in on the right address, the gene hunter has to sort through
the DNA itself.