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Ch. 7 - Microbial Genetics
Bauman - Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th Edition
Bauman6th EditionMicrobiology with Diseases by TaxonomyISBN: 9780134832302Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksBauman 6th EditionCh. 7 - Microbial GeneticsProblem 2
Chapter 7, Problem 2

A triplet of mRNA nucleotides that specifies a particular amino acid is called a ____________  .

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1
Understand that in molecular biology, the sequence of nucleotides in mRNA is read in groups of three bases.
Each group of three nucleotides in mRNA is known as a codon.
A codon corresponds to a specific amino acid or a stop signal during protein synthesis.
Therefore, the triplet of mRNA nucleotides that specifies a particular amino acid is called a codon.
This concept is fundamental to the genetic code and how proteins are synthesized in cells.

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Key Concepts

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

Codon

A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides on an mRNA molecule that corresponds to a specific amino acid or a stop signal during protein synthesis. Each codon directs the addition of a particular amino acid to a growing polypeptide chain.
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mRNA (messenger RNA)

mRNA is a type of RNA that carries genetic information transcribed from DNA in the form of codons. It serves as a template for protein synthesis by providing the sequence of codons that determine the amino acid order.
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Genetic Code

The genetic code is the set of rules by which the sequence of nucleotides in mRNA is translated into the sequence of amino acids in proteins. It is nearly universal and consists of codons, each specifying one amino acid or a stop signal.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Which of the following is a true statement concerning prokaryotic chromosomes?

a. They typically have two or three origins of replication

b. They contain single-stranded DNA

c. They are located in the cytosol

d. They are associated in linear pairs

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Textbook Question

This bacteriophage DNA molecule has been warmed. Label the portions that likely have a higher ratio of GC base pairs and the portions that have a higher ratio of AT base pairs.

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Textbook Question

List several ways in which eukaryotic messenger RNA differs from prokaryotic mRNA.

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Textbook Question

Compare and contrast introns and exons.

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Textbook Question

A plasmid is __________ .


a. a molecule of RNA found in bacterial cells

b. distinguished from a chromosome by being circular

c. a structure in bacterial cells formed from plasma membrane

d. extrachromosomal DNA

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Textbook Question

The drugs ddC and AZT are used to treat AIDS.



Based on their chemical structures, what is their mode of action?

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