Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Codon Redundancy
Codon redundancy, also known as the genetic code's degeneracy, refers to the phenomenon where multiple codons can code for the same amino acid. In this case, both GCC and GCA code for the amino acid alanine, meaning that a base substitution from GCC to GCA does not alter the resulting protein's amino acid sequence.
Recommended video:
The Genetic Code Concept 1
Amino Acids and Proteins
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and the sequence of amino acids determines a protein's structure and function. The genetic code translates sequences of nucleotides in DNA into specific amino acids, which are linked together to form proteins. Understanding this relationship is crucial for grasping how changes in DNA can affect protein synthesis.
Recommended video:
Amino Acid Catabolism: Amino Group Concept 1
Base Substitution Mutation
A base substitution mutation occurs when one nucleotide in the DNA sequence is replaced by another. This type of mutation can lead to changes in the corresponding mRNA and potentially alter the amino acid sequence of a protein. However, due to codon redundancy, some base substitutions do not result in any change to the amino acid sequence, as seen in the example provided.
Recommended video:
Naming Alkanes with Substituents Example 1
1:01 minutes
03:25
