In the genetic code, a codon specifies which of the following?

In the genetic code, a codon specifies which of the following?

• A. An amino acid
• B. A nucleotide
• C. A sugar
• D. A lipid

Answer: (A)

Codons are three-nucleotide units in mRNA that specify an amino acid (or a stop signal) during translation. The ribosome reads each codon and the corresponding tRNA brings the matching amino acid, adding it to the growing protein chain. This is why a codon points to an amino acid rather than to a nucleotide, sugar, or lipid—the genetic code translates nucleotide sequences into the amino acids that make up proteins. Stop codons exist as signals to terminate translation, but they still fit within the same idea: codons direct what is added to the polypeptide, not the other types of molecules listed.

Codons are three-nucleotide units in mRNA that specify an amino acid (or a stop signal) during translation. The ribosome reads each codon and the corresponding tRNA brings the matching amino acid, adding it to the growing protein chain. This is why a codon points to an amino acid rather than to a nucleotide, sugar, or lipid—the genetic code translates nucleotide sequences into the amino acids that make up proteins. Stop codons exist as signals to terminate translation, but they still fit within the same idea: codons direct what is added to the polypeptide, not the other types of molecules listed.