Question

To account for the involvement of RNA molecules for incorporating amino acids into a protein chain, Francis Crick proposed the ______ hypothesis.

Answer 1

Francis Crick proposed the adaptor hypothesis to explain the role of RNA molecules, particularly transfer RNA (tRNA), in protein synthesis by incorporating amino acids into a protein chain as per the sequence specified by messenger RNA (mRNA).

Step-by-step explanation:

To account for the involvement of RNA molecules for incorporating amino acids into a protein chain, Francis Crick proposed the adaptor hypothesis. This hypothesis suggested that RNA molecules, specifically transfer RNA (tRNA), serve as adapters that transfer amino acids to the ribosome, where they are added to the nascent polypeptide chain in sequence dictated by the messenger RNA (mRNA). Crick theorized the existence of these adaptor molecules just two years after the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA, and his ideas laid the groundwork for understanding the genetic code and protein synthesis. The adaptor hypothesis was later supported by evidence when tRNA was discovered, solidifying the importance of RNA in the genetic code. Indeed, each tRNA is specific to an amino acid and recognizes the appropriate codon on mRNA through its anticodon, ensuring that the amino acids are assembled in the correct order to form proteins.