Final answer:
The genetic code is a set of rules used to translate genetic information into proteins, consisting of codons that are universal, unambiguous, and redundant. Universality permits interspecies gene expression, unambiguity ensures precision, and redundancy protects against mutations. An RNA segment is decoded into a sequence of amino acids using this code.
Step-by-step explanation:
Characteristics of the Genetic Code
The genetic code is a set of rules used by living cells to translate information encoded within genetic material (DNA or mRNA sequences) into proteins. It is composed of codons, which are sets of three nucleotides within a DNA or mRNA molecule, and each codon specifies an amino acid to be added during protein synthesis. There are a total of 64 codons, 61 of which specify the 20 common amino acids, while the remaining three are stop codons signaling the end of a protein sequence.
Importance of Universality, Unambiguity, and Redundancy
The genetic code is described as universal because it is consistent across nearly all species, indicating a shared common origin of life on Earth. This universality allows for the remarkable possibility of genes from one organism to be expressed in another, showing that different life forms can interpret the same genetic instructions.
Moreover, the code is unambiguous; each codon encodes for one specific amino acid (or serves as a start or stop signal in the case of some codons), providing precision in protein synthesis. Lastly, it is redundant because multiple codons can code for the same amino acid, which helps to minimize the effects of mutations on protein function, as a change in one nucleotide may still yield the same amino acid.
Example Translation of an RNA Segment
For example, if given the RNA segment GUC-GCG-CAU-AGC-AAG, it can be translated into a sequence of amino acids based on the genetic code. The corresponding amino acids for these codons would be Valine, Alanine, Histidine, Serine, and Lysine, respectively.