How can there be 64 codon combinations but only 20 possible amino acids?
Codons are three letter genetic words: and the language of genes use 4 letters (=nitrogenous bases). Hence 64 words are there in genetic dictionary, to represent 20 amino acids that the biological organisms use.
And you must note that more than one codon may code for the same amino acid. This is referred to as degeneracy of the code.
For example, three amino acids are coded by any of six different codons, and that alone uses up 18 of the 64 combinations.
Three of the codons are stop codons.
They do not code for any amino acid.
Instead, they act as signals to end the genetic message carried by messenger RNA .
The number of amino acids coded by codons is
#1 " codon" × color(white)(l)2 " amino acids" = color(white)(ll)2 " codons"#
#2 " codons" × 9 " amino acids" = 18 " codons"#
#3 " codons" × 1 " amino acid" = color(white)(X)3 " codons"#
#4 " codons" × 5 " amino acids" = 20 " codons"#
#6 " codons" × 3 " amino acids" = 18 " codons"#
#color(white)(XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX)3" stop codons"#
#stackrel(—————————————————————————)(color(white)(XXXXXXXXXl)"TOTAL" = 64 " codons")# Here's a chart that gives the codon assignments for the amino acids.
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The genetic code is redundant, meaning that multiple codons can code for the same amino acid. While there are 64 possible codon combinations, some amino acids are coded for by more than one codon. Additionally, there are three codons that serve as stop signals, terminating the translation process. Therefore, even though there are 64 possible codons, only 20 of them code for amino acids, while the remaining 3 serve as stop signals.
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When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.
When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.
When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.
When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.
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