Shown here are the amino acid sequences of the wild-type and three mutant forms of a short protein.
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Wild-type: Met-Trp-Tyr-Arg-Gly-Ser-Pro-Thr
Mutant 1: Met-Trp
Mutant 2: Met-Trp-His-Arg-Gly-Ser-Pro-Thr
Mutant 3: Met-Cys-Ile-Val-Val-Val-Gln-His                                  _

Use this information to answer the following questions:

The wild-type RNA consists of nine triplets. What is the role of the ninth triplet?

Key Concepts

Amino Acids and Proteins

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and they are linked together in a specific sequence to form a polypeptide chain. The sequence of amino acids determines the protein's structure and function. In the context of the question, understanding how mutations in the amino acid sequence can affect protein function is crucial.

RNA and Codons

RNA is a nucleic acid that plays a key role in coding, decoding, regulation, and expression of genes. The wild-type RNA mentioned consists of triplets, known as codons, which correspond to specific amino acids. The ninth triplet's role is essential for determining the final amino acid in the protein sequence, which can influence the protein's overall function.

Mutations and Their Effects

Mutations are changes in the DNA sequence that can lead to alterations in the amino acid sequence of proteins. These changes can be classified as missense, nonsense, or frameshift mutations, each having different impacts on protein function. Analyzing the mutations in the provided sequences helps in understanding how they affect the protein's structure and function, particularly in relation to the role of the ninth triplet.