Final answer:
Degeneracy of the genetic code reduces the negative impact of random mutations by allowing different codons to specify the same or similar amino acids. This prevents proteins from becoming completely nonfunctional.
Step-by-step explanation:
Degeneracy of the genetic code provides a biological benefit by reducing the negative impact of random mutations. The genetic code is degenerate because multiple codons can specify the same amino acid. This redundancy ensures that a single-nucleotide substitution mutation might either specify the same amino acid or a similar amino acid, preventing the protein from becoming completely nonfunctional.
For example, codons that specify aspartate and glutamate, which are both negatively charged amino acids, are encoded by similar codons.