Third-base wobble allows some tRNAs to recognize more than one mRNA codon. Based on this chapter's discussion of wobble, what is the minimal number of tRNA molecules necessary to recognize the following amino acids?

arginine

Key Concepts

Wobble Hypothesis

The wobble hypothesis, proposed by Francis Crick, explains how the third position of a codon can pair with multiple tRNA anticodons. This flexibility allows a single tRNA to recognize more than one codon, reducing the total number of tRNA molecules needed for protein synthesis. For example, the codons for arginine can be recognized by tRNAs that have different anticodons due to this wobble pairing.

Codons and Amino Acids

Codons are sequences of three nucleotides in mRNA that specify particular amino acids during protein synthesis. Each amino acid is encoded by one or more codons, leading to redundancy in the genetic code. Understanding the specific codons that correspond to arginine is essential for determining how many tRNA molecules are required to recognize all possible codons for this amino acid.

tRNA Molecules

Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules are crucial for translating mRNA codons into amino acids during protein synthesis. Each tRNA carries a specific amino acid and has an anticodon that pairs with the corresponding mRNA codon. The number of distinct tRNA molecules needed can vary based on the codon usage and the presence of wobble pairing, which allows for fewer tRNAs to accommodate multiple codons for the same amino acid.