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Ch. 16 - How Genes Work
Freeman - Biological Science 7th Edition
Freeman7th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9783584863285Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksFreeman 7th EditionCh. 16 - How Genes WorkProblem 10
Chapter 16, Problem 10

One of the possibilities considered about the genetic code was that the code was overlapping, meaning that a single base could be part of up to three codons. How many amino acids would be encoded in the sequence 5′-AUGUUACGGAAU-3′ by a non-overlapping and a maximally overlapping triplet code?a. 4 (non-overlapping) and 16 (overlapping)b. 4 and 12c. 4 and 10d. 12 and 4

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the sequence given: 5′-AUGUUACGGAAU-3′. This sequence contains 12 nucleotides.
For the non-overlapping triplet code: Divide the total number of nucleotides by 3 (since each codon is composed of 3 nucleotides) to find out how many codons can be formed and thus how many amino acids can be encoded.
For the maximally overlapping triplet code: Start from the first nucleotide and form a codon, then move one nucleotide to the right and form the next codon, and continue this process until you reach the end of the sequence. Calculate how many codons can be formed in this manner.
Compare the number of codons formed in both non-overlapping and overlapping scenarios to determine how many amino acids each scenario encodes.
Match the calculated numbers of amino acids encoded in both scenarios with the options provided to find the correct answer.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Genetic Code

The genetic code is a set of rules that defines how sequences of nucleotides in DNA or RNA are translated into proteins. It consists of codons, which are triplets of nucleotides that correspond to specific amino acids. Understanding the genetic code is essential for interpreting how genetic information is expressed in living organisms.
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Genetic Code

Non-overlapping vs. Overlapping Codons

In a non-overlapping genetic code, each nucleotide is part of only one codon, meaning that each triplet is read independently. In contrast, an overlapping code allows a single nucleotide to be included in multiple codons, potentially increasing the number of amino acids encoded. This distinction is crucial for calculating the number of amino acids produced from a given nucleotide sequence.
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Codon Usage and Amino Acid Encoding

Codon usage refers to the specific sequences of nucleotides that correspond to particular amino acids. In a triplet code, each set of three nucleotides encodes one amino acid. The total number of amino acids encoded by a sequence depends on whether the code is overlapping or non-overlapping, affecting how the sequence is parsed into codons.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Draw a hypothetical metabolic pathway in Neurospora crassa composed of five substrates, five enzymes, and a product called nirvana. Number the substrates 1–5, and label the enzymes A–E, in order. (For instance, enzyme A catalyzes the reaction between substrates 1 and 2.)

(a) Suppose a mutation made the gene for enzyme C nonfunctional. What molecule would accumulate in the affected cells?

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Textbook Question

Draw a hypothetical metabolic pathway in Neurospora crassa composed of five substrates, five enzymes, and a product called nirvana. Number the substrates 1–5, and label the enzymes A–E, in order. (For instance, enzyme A catalyzes the reaction between substrates 1 and 2.)

(b) Suppose a mutant strain can survive if substrate 5 is added to the growth medium, but it cannot grow if substrates 1, 2, 3, or 4 are added. Which enzyme in the pathway is affected in this mutant?

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Textbook Question

One of the possibilities considered about the genetic code was that the code was overlapping, meaning that a single base could be part of up to three codons. How many amino acids would be encoded in the sequence 5′-AUGUUACGGAAU-3′ by a non-overlapping and a maximally overlapping triplet code?

a. 4 (non-overlapping) and 16 (overlapping)

b. 4 and 12

c. 4 and 10

d. 12 and 4

1551
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Textbook Question
Controlling the rates of transcription and translation is important in bacteria to avoid collisions between ribosomes and RNA polymerases. Calculate what the maximum rate of translation by a ribosome in a bacterial cell would have to be, in units of amino acids per second, so as not to overtake an RNA polymerase that is synthesizing mRNA at a rate of 60 nucleotides per second. How long would it take for this bacterial cell to translate an mRNA containing 1800 codons?
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Textbook Question

Skin color is often one of the first traits people notice in each other. Studies in zebrafish uncovered a mutation that altered a transport protein and resulted in light-colored fish. This discovery led to the finding that the same gene in humans has a strong influence on skin pigmentation in many populations. The zebrafish mutation that reduced coloration created a null allele of the transport protein gene. Which of the following types of mutation would be most likely to create this null allele?

a. A missense mutation

b. A frameshift mutation

c. A neutral mutation

d. A silent mutation

597
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Textbook Question
Skin color is often one of the first traits people notice in each other. Studies in zebrafish uncovered a mutation that altered a transport protein and resulted in light-colored fish. This discovery led to the finding that the same gene in humans has a strong influence on skin pigmentation in many populations. The zebrafish mutation that reduced coloration created a null allele of the transport protein gene. Which of the following types of mutation would be most likely to create this null allele?a. a missense mutationb. a frameshift mutationc. a neutral mutationd. a silent mutation
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