MCQ
There are 64 types of codons in genetic code dictionary because:
  • A
    There are 64 types of tRNA's found in cell.
  • B
    There are 44 meaningless and 20 codons for amino acids.
  • C
    There are 64 amino acids for coding.
  • D
    Genetic code is triplet.

Answer

  1. Genetic code is triplet

Explanation:

The genetic code is a triplet and this triplet nature can be explained as:

There are four nitrogenous bases (Adenine, Guanine, Thymine and Cytosine) and these four bases code for 20 amino acids.

If genetic code is a doublet then a combination of two nitrogenous bases will give 4 x 4 = 16 codons, which is insufficient for 20 amino acids.

George Gamow in 1954 explained the possibility of three letter code i.e. triplet codon. This will give 4 x 4 x 4 = 64 codons, which is more than enough to code for twenty amino acids.

Hence, the genetic code is a triplet.

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