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Multiple Choice
What does it mean that the genetic code is degenerate?
A
Multiple codons can code for the same amino acid.
B
The genetic code is composed of only two nucleotides.
C
Each codon codes for multiple amino acids.
D
The genetic code varies between different organisms.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that the genetic code refers to the set of rules by which information encoded in genetic material (DNA or RNA sequences) is translated into proteins by living cells.
Recognize that a codon is a sequence of three nucleotides which together form a unit of genetic code in a DNA or RNA molecule.
Learn that the term 'degenerate' in the context of the genetic code means that multiple codons can specify the same amino acid. This is due to the redundancy in the genetic code.
Note that there are 64 possible codons (4^3 combinations of the four nucleotides), but only 20 amino acids, which leads to some amino acids being coded by more than one codon.
Clarify that the degeneracy of the genetic code is a protective feature that reduces the impact of mutations, as changes in the third nucleotide of a codon often do not change the amino acid it codes for.