> Note that the "meaning/effect" of a DNA segment encoding a protein [...] The "meaning" of a DNA segment is not to encode a protein. The "meaning" is to descr

> Note that the "meaning/effect" of a DNA segment encoding a protein [...] The "meaning" of a DNA segment is not to encode a protein. The "meaning" is to describe a mechanism in the host organism (by way of encoding a protein). That is a complex process which involves gene expression AND protein folding. For example would you say that the "meaning" of some Java code is to generate bytecode? Of course not, the "meaning" is to run some algorithm on the computer that executes it