Final answer:
Each tRNA recognizes a specific mRNA codon and brings only one type of amino acid to the ribosome during translation. A single codon cannot be recognized by multiple tRNAs carrying different amino acids, though due to wobbling, one tRNA can recognize multiple codons for its specific amino acid.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the process of translation, fidelity in the genetic code is critical, as each tRNA must precisely match its anticodon with an mRNA codon to ensure the correct amino acid is added to the growing polypeptide chain. A codon-anticodon interaction is the basis for this recognition, where the three-nucleotide anticodon of a tRNA base-pairs with its complementary mRNA codon.
There are 64 possible codon combinations, but three signal termination and one (AUG) serves as the start codon. Out of the remaining 60 codons, some are read by the same tRNA due to a phenomenon known as wobbling, where the first anticodon nucleotide of the tRNA can hydrogen bond with multiple nucleotides. However, while one tRNA can recognize multiple codons, it's important to note that each tRNA is still specific to one particular amino acid.
For example, while there are six codons for the amino acid arginine, there are fewer corresponding tRNAArg molecules due to wobbling. Even then, every tRNAArg will carry only arginine, regardless of the codons they recognize. If the tRNA is chemically altered to carry a different amino acid than what its anticodon specifies, the tRNA would still recognize the codon matching its anticodon, not necessarily the modified amino acid.