Question

One of the codons that encodes the amino acid threonine is 5' - A C U - 3'. Which of the following correctly describes the anticodon that would interact with this codon?

A) 5' - T G A - 3'
B) 5' - U G A - 3'
C) 5' - G A U - 3'
D) 5' - A G U - 3'

Answer 1

The answer is option b. The correct anticodon that pairs with the mRNA codon 5'-ACU-3' is 5'-UGA-3', which is complementary and antiparallel to the codon.

Step-by-step explanation:

The anticodon that would interact with the mRNA codon 5'-ACU-3' for threonine would need to be complementary and antiparallel to it. Anticodons are found on tRNA molecules and they follow the base-pairing rules where adenine (A) pairs with uracil (U) and cytosine (C) pairs with guanine (G).

Looking at the options given, the correct anticodon would be: 5'-UGA-3', which corresponds to option B. This is because the anticodon binds to the codon in the mRNA in an antiparallel fashion, meaning the tRNA molecule's 5' end pairs with the mRNA's 3' end and vice versa. Therefore, the correct pairing would be A to U, C to G, and U to A.