Question

Imagine a segment of DNA (within a gene) encoding a certain amount of

information in its nucleotide sequence. When this segment is fully transcribed
into mRNA and then translated into protein, in general,...

A. the protein sequence would carry more information compared to the DNA and mRNA sequences, because its alphabet has 20 letters.
B. the protein sequence would carry less information compared to the DNA and mRNA sequences, because several codons can correspond to one amino acid.
C. the amount of information in the mRNA sequence is lower, because the mRNA has been transcribed using only one of the DNA strands as the template.
D. the amount of information in the mRNA sequence is higher, because several mRNA molecules can be transcribed from one DNA molecule.

Answer 1

The protein sequence carries less information than its DNA or mRNA counterparts because multiple codons can encode the same amino acid, leading to redundancy in the genetic code.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering the information content of DNA, mRNA, and protein sequences, we need to understand the relationship between these molecules according to the central dogma of molecular biology. A segment of DNA, when transcribed, will produce an mRNA sequence that is complementary to one of the DNA strands. This mRNA then carries the genetic code to the ribosomes where it is translated into a protein sequence.

A correct answer to the multiple-choice question provided would be (B): the protein sequence would carry less information compared to the DNA and mRNA sequences, because several codons can correspond to one amino acid. This is due to the redundancy of the genetic code, where multiple three-nucleotide codons translate into the same amino acid, thus reducing the potential information content when compared to the unique sequence of nucleotides in the DNA and mRNA.