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?

isoleucine

Key Concepts

tRNA and Codons

Transfer RNA (tRNA) is a type of RNA molecule that helps decode mRNA sequences into proteins. Each tRNA molecule carries a specific amino acid and has an anticodon that pairs with a corresponding mRNA codon. Understanding the relationship between tRNA and codons is essential for determining how many tRNA molecules are needed to recognize various amino acids.

Wobble Hypothesis

The wobble hypothesis explains how the third position of a codon can tolerate mismatches between the codon and anticodon pairing. This flexibility allows a single tRNA to recognize multiple codons that code for the same amino acid, reducing the total number of tRNA molecules required for protein synthesis. This concept is crucial for understanding how fewer tRNAs can accommodate the genetic code.

Amino Acid Codons

Amino acids are encoded by specific sequences of three nucleotides known as codons. For isoleucine, there are three codons (AUU, AUC, AUA) that specify this amino acid. Recognizing how many distinct codons correspond to an amino acid is vital for calculating the minimum number of tRNA molecules needed to translate the genetic code effectively.