The Genetic Code is Said to Be "Degenerate" Because

Question

The genetic code is said to be "degenerate" because:
A)amino acid sequences are always read in the 3'→5' direction of the mRNA.
B)amino acids are encoded only by DNA sequences found in introns.
C)a particular amino acid can be specified by more than one codon.
D)tryptophan is the first amino acid in all polypeptide chains.

Accepted Answer

The genetic code is said to be "degenerate" because a particular amino acid can be specified by more than one codon. For example, the amino acid glycine can be specified by the codons GGA, GGC, GGU, and GGG. This degeneracy allows for some flexibility in the genetic code and helps to protect against errors during DNA replication and transcription.