Final answer:
The maximum number of nucleotides coding for a eukaryotic protein of 100 amino acids is 300. Each amino acid is encoded by a triplet of nucleotides, known as a codon, and there are 64 possible codons that correspond to the 20 common amino acids.
Step-by-step explanation:
The maximum number of nucleotides in the DNA that codes for a eukaryotic protein that is 100 amino acids long would be 300 nucleotides. This calculation comes from the fact that each amino acid is encoded by a codon consisting of three nucleotides. Since the protein is composed of 100 amino acids, you would need 100 codons to specify the amino acids, resulting in 100 codons × 3 nucleotides/codon = 300 nucleotides.
The genetic code is redundant because there are 64 possible codons, but only 20 common amino acids. Therefore, most amino acids are encoded by more than one codon. This redundancy helps to minimize the effects of mutations on the encoding of proteins.
The correct answer to the provided question is a) 300.