[Campbell Biology P.116] The text states that life's vast diversity of macromolecules is bui... | Practice Question

The text states that life's vast diversity of macromolecules is built from a limited number of common monomers. What is the key principle that allows for this immense diversity, analogous to forming many words from a limited alphabet?

  • A: The size of the individual monomers.
  • B: The ability of monomers to spontaneously assemble.
  • C: The specific linear sequence or arrangement of the monomer units.
  • D: The unlimited supply of rare monomers.

Explanation

The text explains: 'Building a huge variety of polymers from such a limited number of monomers is analogous to constructing hundreds of thousands of words from only 26 letters of the alphabet. The key is arrangement—the particular linear sequence that the units follow.'