Question

1. The nature of the genetic code also protects us from mutation. Two or three codons may specify an amino acid and these codons only differ at the third base. If the third base in the codon is replaced, can it result in the same amino acid? If the second base in the codon changes to a different base, it will change to a different amino acid. Amino acid changes can be conservative or non-conservative. If it is a conservative missense mutation is it likely to be detrimental to health? What is yet another way that our bodies protect against mutation?

Answer 1

Explanation:- The degeneracy of genetic code states that two or more codons differing only in thirs base can be used to encode same amino acid for example CUA, CUC, CUG all code for leucine amino acids. Conservative missense mutation is not detrimental to health because they do code different amino acid but their properties ( charge, hydrophobic, hydrophilic etc) remains same as against non conservative mutation ( sickle cell anaemia). Our body protect us from mutation througj DNA repair mechanisms, dna polymerase proof reading etc.