In: Biology
Use the genetic code and the table that indicates the base
pairing that occurs according to the wobble hypothesis to answer
the following.
What is the three letter abbreviation of your favorite amino acid?
How many codons specify this amino acid?
What is the minimum number of tRNAs required to recognize the codons that specify this amino acid?
What is/are the anticodon sequence(s) of this amino acid? Enter your responses in the 5' to 3' direction.
Answer: Amino acids are the basic units of the protein. Each amino acid is coded by a group of three nucleotides called as codons. Each amino acid will have many codons but each codon codes for single amino acids. The amino acids are charged on specific tRNAs that have anticodon complementray to the codon of the amino acid.
The three letter abbreviation of the amino acid phenylalanine is Phe.
This amino acid is coded by two codons UUU and UUC.
The number of tRNAs that recognizes the two codons of Phe is one tRNA. The first two base of the codon at 5'end of mRNA pair with two nucleotides at the 3' end of the tRNA according to Watson-crick base pairing rule. The third base in mRNA at 3'-end and 5' nucleotide of tRNA anticodon base pair according to wobble hypothesis. Hence, one tRNA recognizes two codons of phenylalanine.
Anticodon sequence: 5'-GAA-3' . The 5' nucleotide (G) of the antidocon will pair with 3'-nucleotides (U or C) of the codons of phe.