Question

If the sequence contains 4 nucleotides (4-nu long), how many different nucleotide sequences can be encoded by it?

a) 16
b) 64
c) 256
d) 512

Answer 1

The sequence can encode 256 different nucleotide sequences.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a DNA or RNA sequence that contains 4 nucleotides, the number of different nucleotide sequences that can be encoded is determined by the number of possible combinations of these nucleotides. Each nucleotide can be arranged in 4 different positions, so for a sequence that is 4-nucleotide long, the total number of combinations is 4 to the power of 4 (4⁴). This equals 256, so the correct answer is option c) 256.