Final answer:
The second AUG codon in the mRNA sequence will not be translated because the translation machinery will have ceased translation at the preceding stop codon (UAA).
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question pertains to the mRNA sequence 5'-AUGGUGCUCAUGCCCTAA-3' and the fate of the second methionine codon (AUG) in this sequence. During translation, the ribosome binds to the mRNA and moves from the 5' to the 3' direction searching for the start codon, which is typically the first AUG codon in the sequence. In eukaryotic translation, cap-binding proteins and initiation factors (IFs) assist in the scanning process to locate this start codon, which often follows Kozak's rules in vertebrates for efficient translation initiation. Even though methionine is the amino acid coded by AUG, only the AUG that is the start codon typically initiates translation. The second AUG follows a stop codon (UAA) and would not initiate translation, as the ribosome detaches after encountering the first stop codon. Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is that the second methionine codon (AUG) in this mRNA sequence will b) Not be translated, as the translation machinery shall have stopped at the preceding stop codon (UAA).