[Campbell Biology P.389] The genetic code is based on triplets of nucleotides codons to spec... | Practice Question

The genetic code is based on triplets of nucleotides codons to specify amino acids. What is the primary reason for this triplet nature?

  • A: To provide enough unique combinations to specify all 20 common amino acids.
  • B: To ensure efficient RNA splicing during transcription.
  • C: To allow for redundancy and minimize the impact of mutations.
  • D: To facilitate the binding of tRNA molecules during translation.

Explanation

The passage explains that with four nucleotide bases, single-letter code words would only specify 4 amino acids, and two-letter code words 4^2 = 16 are still not enough for the 20 common amino acids. Triplet code words 4^3 = 64 provide more than enough combinations.