Question

Har Gobind Korana, using a new polynucleotide synthesis method that he developed, extended Nirenberg’s work by synthesizing polynucleotides with precisely defined sequences.

(a) What polypeptide(s) would be produced if a poly(GU) were added to the cell-free system described in Problem 33?
(b) Do these results help to decipher the identities of the codons involved?

Answer 1

The addition of a poly(GU) to the cell-free system would produce a polypeptide chain consisting of alternating glycine and valine amino acids. These results help to decipher the identities of the codons involved in protein synthesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The addition of a poly(GU) to the cell-free system would result in the synthesis of a polypeptide chain consisting of alternating glycine and valine amino acids. This is because the nucleotides guanine (G) and uracil (U) in the poly(GU) sequence would correspond to the codons GGU and GUU, which code for glycine and valine, respectively.

These results help to decipher the identities of the codons involved in protein synthesis. By synthesizing polynucleotides with precisely defined sequences, Khorana extended Nirenberg's work and revealed the relationship between specific nucleotide sequences and the resulting polypeptide chain. This provided valuable information about the genetic code and how it is interpreted during translation.