How many bases form a codon that specifies an amino acid?

Study for the IMAT Biology Exam with focused multiple-choice questions. Use hints and explanations to enhance your preparation. Get ready for your exam success!

Multiple Choice

How many bases form a codon that specifies an amino acid?

Explanation:
Codons are read as three-nucleotide units, and during translation each triplet in the messenger RNA specifies an amino acid (with a few triplets signaling termination). Because a codon is formed by three bases, the number of bases in a codon is three. With four possible bases, three-position combinations give 4 × 4 × 4 = 64 possible codons, most coding for amino acids and a few acting as stop signals.

Codons are read as three-nucleotide units, and during translation each triplet in the messenger RNA specifies an amino acid (with a few triplets signaling termination). Because a codon is formed by three bases, the number of bases in a codon is three. With four possible bases, three-position combinations give 4 × 4 × 4 = 64 possible codons, most coding for amino acids and a few acting as stop signals.

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