asked 162k views
5 votes
Why are there only 20 amino acids when there are 64 variants of triplets?

asked
User Chyyran
by
7.9k points

1 Answer

1 vote

Answer:

The genetic code is degenerate.

Step-by-step explanation:

The genetic code is degenerate: there are 64 triplets of different codons (sequence of three bases of mRNA that codes for a certain amino acid) and 20 amino acids. That is, an amico acid can be encoded by more than one codon.

Welcome to Qamnty — a place to ask, share, and grow together. Join our community and get real answers from real people.