AP BIOLOGY

THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF INHERITANCE

DNA MAKES RNA MAKES PROTEIN

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Each amino acid is coded for by one specific codon
A
True
B
False
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -The given statement is false. The codons code the amino acid. The genetic code is degenerate. There are twenty essential amino acids and sixty-four possible triplets; each codon code for a single amino acid, and some amino acids are code more than one codon.

Detailed explanation-2: -Because there are only 20 different amino acids but 64 possible codons, most amino acids are indicated by more than one codon. (Note, however, that each codon represents only one amino acid or stop codon.)

Detailed explanation-3: -Usually one codon codes for a single amino acid. But exceptionally, more than one codon may code for the same amino acid e.g. GAA and GAG both code for glutamic acid. This property is called redundancy or degeneracy.

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