Genetic Code: Features and Wobble Hypothesis
Start with the big picture
The genetic code is triplet, non-overlapping, continuous, and read 5′ to 3′. Its 64 codons include signals for amino acids and three stop codons; AUG serves as the start codon and specifies methionine. The code is degenerate, meaning that an amino acid may have multiple codons, but it is unambiguous because each codon specifies only one amino acid. The wobble hypothesis describes flexible pairing between the 5′ base of a tRNA anticodon and the third base of a codon. While the first two positions follow standard pairing rules, wobble pairings—including those involving inosine—broaden codon recognition. This helps explain how fewer tRNAs can decode sense codons and why some nucleotide changes do not alter the encoded amino acid.
What you'll learn
- Describe the main structural properties of the genetic code.
- Distinguish degeneracy from the unambiguous assignment of codons.
- Identify the roles of AUG and the three stop codons.
- Explain where wobble occurs in codon–anticodon pairing.
- Relate wobble and degeneracy to tRNA recognition and synonymous mutations.
Continue your study
Work through the complete notes and reinforce the topic with the study tools available in the full lesson.