Final answer:
The statement is false; UUG is not unique as multiple codons encode leucine. Only methionine (AUG) and tryptophan (UGG) have single codons without degeneracy in the genetic code.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that AUG, UUG, and TRP codons are unique because they are the only codons that code for their corresponding amino acid (no degeneracy) is false. The genetic code is, in fact, degenerate, meaning that all amino acids except for methionine and tryptophan are encoded by more than one codon.
Methionine is the only amino acid coded by AUG, and it also serves as the start codon in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, initiating protein synthesis. Tryptophan is the only amino acid coded by UGG. However, UUG does not code exclusively for a single amino acid; it codes for leucine, which has six different codons coding for it.
It is also important to note that the genetic code is unambiguous—no codon specifies more than one amino acid—and universal, meaning the same genetic code is used across various organisms.