Life as we know it depends on the genetic code: a set of codons, each made up of three bases in a DNA sequence and corresponding mRNA sequence, that specifies which of the 20 amino acids will be added to the protein during translation. Imagine that a prokaryote-like organism has been discovered in the polar ice on Mars. Interestingly, these Martian organisms use the same DNA → RNA → protein system as life on Earth, except that there are only 2 bases (A and T) in the Martian DNA, and there are only 17 amino acids found in Martian proteins.
Based on this information, what is the minimum size of a codon for these hypothetical Martian life-forms?
a. 2 bases
b. 3 bases
c. 4 bases
d. 5 bases
e. 6 bases
f. The answer cannot be determined from the information provided.