Final answer:
Experimental evidence from the binding affinity of amino acid-bound tRNAs and synthetic triplets provided strong support for the triplet code hypothesis, underscoring the significant relationship between codons/anticodons and amino acids in the genetic code.
Step-by-step explanation:
The compound used to test the triplet code hypothesis was not directly mentioned, but the context suggests that experiments involved synthetic triplets and amino acid-bound tRNAs. Studies provided evidence supporting the triplet code hypothesis, showing that synthetic three-nucleotide fragments would bind to ribosomes, which would then recognize and bind appropriate amino acid-bound tRNAs. This experimental evidence supports the idea that there is a physical and functional relationship between RNA codons/anticodons and their respective amino acids, which goes beyond just statistical chance, strengthening the argument for the evolutionary development of the genetic code.
The comprehensive testing of randomized codes against experimental RNA binding sites demonstrated that the real genetic code is highly optimized compared to random variations. Less than 0.8% of randomized codes showed equal or greater association with observed binding sites, and even those that did often retained elements of the original code structure. This indicates that the code's assignment of triplets to specific amino acids likely evolved due to more than mere chance, incorporating aspects of stereochemistry, co-evolution, and adaptation over time.