Genome Music: Translating the Human GJB2 Gene’s Amino Acid Sequence into Sound
Introduction
The Genome Music Adaris Project unites biology and musical art by transforming genetic information into expressive soundscapes. The genome contains the instructions for synthesizing proteins, and proteins are built during translation – a process in which the ribosome “reads” messenger RNA (mRNA) and assembles a chain of amino acids.
If we assign each amino acid a musical feature – a note, instrument, harmonic color, or rhythmic structure – we can create a unique musical composition: a direct and literal “sound” of the molecule of life.
In this project, a fragment of the human GJB2 gene, which encodes the Connexin 26 protein, was translated into a musical form.
What Exactly Was Translated into Music
The composition is based on the amino acid sequence derived from the mRNA of the human GJB2 gene.
Source Data
- Organism: Homo sapiens (human)
- Gene: GJB2
- Full name: Gap Junction Beta-2
- Protein product: Connexin 26, a component of intercellular gap-junction channels
- Data type: mRNA sequence translated into 226 amino acids
- Reference sequence: NCBI entry NM_004004
In the musical piece, you hear the melody of translation – the step-by-step addition of amino acids to the growing Connexin 26 protein. Each step is converted into a musical event.
What the GJB2 Gene Represents
The GJB2 gene is well-known in biomedical research. It encodes Connexin 26, a protein that forms gap junctions – microscopic channels between adjacent cells. These channels allow ions, metabolites, and signaling molecules to pass directly from cell to cell.
Mutations in GJB2 are among the most common genetic causes of hereditary hearing loss, making this gene one of the most studied in human genetics.
The Connexin 26 protein includes:
- distinct structural domains,
- transmembrane regions,
- extracellular and intracellular loops,
- segments responsible for cell-to-cell contact.
This structural complexity makes the amino acid sequence diverse and expressive – ideal for musical sonification.
How the Gene Was Translated into Music
1. Retrieving the mRNA Sequence
The reference sequence NM_004004 was obtained from the NCBI database.
2. Translating mRNA into an Amino Acid Chain
Every three nucleotides (a codon) encode one amino acid.
This produces a chain of 226 amino acids, forming the Connexin 26 protein.
3. Assigning Musical Attributes to Amino Acids
Each of the 20 amino acids was assigned specific musical properties:
- pitch (note frequency),
- interval patterns,
- rhythmic values or duration,
- instrumental timbre.
Examples of mapping:
- charged amino acids → higher notes,
- hydrophobic amino acids → lower notes,
- large aromatic residues → chords or rich harmonic textures,
- structured protein domains → shifts in rhythm or dynamics.
4. Creating the Complete Composition
The final melody reflects:
- the sequential assembly of the protein,
- beginnings and ends of functional domains,
- repeating codon motifs,
- the natural “rhythm” of protein synthesis.
The result is a unique musical signature of Connexin 26.
Why the GJB2 Gene Was Chosen
GJB2 is often referred to as a “symbolic gene of intercellular communication.”
It was selected because it is:
- thoroughly studied and well-annotated,
- compact yet expressive in its sequence,
- rich in transmembrane domains that create musical contrast,
- biologically important and widely recognized in scientific fields.
This makes its musical interpretation rhythmically dynamic, emotionally resonant, and structurally coherent.
Conclusion
Genome music is more than an artistic experiment. It is a new way of experiencing molecular biology – a way to hear the structure of proteins and feel the information hidden within DNA and RNA sequences.
The musical interpretation of the GJB2 gene offers a fresh perspective on translation – the transformation of genetic code into a living protein.
What you hear is not a metaphor but a direct sonic rendering of the amino acid sequence produced during biological synthesis.