Nucleic Acids-The Genetic Code

Question 1

What is the genetic code?

Answer 1

Is the sequence of bases along it’s DNA. It contains thousands of sections called genes or cistrons.

Question 2

What does a gene code for?

Answer 2

A specific polypeptide.

Question 3

What are polypeptides made of?

Answer 3

Amino Acids.

Question 4

The genetic code is almost universal, what does this mean?

Answer 4

The same sequence of bases codes for the same amino acids in.

Question 5

Given that there are 4 bases in DNA, how many amino acids do these code for?

Answer 5

20

Question 6

If one base, how many possible amino acids?

Answer 6

4

Question 7

If two bases, how many possible amino acids?

Answer 7

16

Question 8

If three bases, how many possible amino acids?

Answer 8

64

Question 9

When was the existence of a three-base triplet code confirmed and by who?

Answer 9

Francis Crick and colleagues in 1961.

Question 10

The triplet code is degenerate, what does this mean?

Answer 10

A single amino acid may be coded for by more than one codon.

Question 11

How many bases are there?

Answer 11

4

Question 12

How many bases in a codons?

Answer 12

3 bases

Question 13

How many different amino acids are there? (Some amino acids have more than one codon)

Answer 13

20

Question 14

What does the genetic code explain?

Answer 14

How each base combinations makes the different amino acids.

Question 15

What is the triplet code?

Answer 15

A particular sequence of three bases, that codes for a specific amino acid.