Question

Assertion (A): One of the property of genetic code is degeneracy. 

Reason (R): Some amino acids can be coded by more than one codon.

Options

• Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

• Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

• (A) is true, but (R) is false.

• (A) is false, but (R) is true.

Answer 1

Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Explanation:

As more than one codon can code for the same amino acid, the genetic code is referred to as degenerate. This characteristic guarantees that the amino acid sequence is not always altered by mutations in a codon’s third base (wobble hypothesis). For example, UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, and CUG code for leucine (Leu).