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What possible codes does a triplet present?

A) Three amino acids
B) One amino acid
C) Two nucleotides
D) One nucleotide

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

A triplet in genetics refers to a set of three nucleotides that codes for a single amino acid, making it a codon.

Step-by-step explanation:

In biology, specifically in the field of genetics, a triplet refers to a sequence of three nucleotides in DNA or RNA that codes for a single amino acid. This is known as a codon. Therefore, the correct answer to the question of what codes does a triplet present is B) One amino acid. The genetic code is constituted by numerous triplets, each of which specifies one of the twenty common amino acids used to build proteins. For the genetic code to encompass all 20 amino acids, combinations of three nucleotides are necessary, as only 64 different codes (4³) are possible, which exceeds the number of amino acids.Each triplet corresponds to one of the twenty common amino acids. The set of triplet code words in mRNA or its complementary bases in DNA coding for the amino acids of proteins is known as the genetic code. Therefore, a triplet can present one amino acid.