In studies of the amino acid sequence of wild-type and mutant forms of tryptophan synthetase in E. coli, the following changes have been observed: Determine a set of triplet codes in which only a single-nucleotide change produces each amino acid change.

Key Concepts

Codons and Triplet Codes

Codons are sequences of three nucleotides in mRNA that correspond to specific amino acids during protein synthesis. Each triplet code, or codon, is crucial for determining the sequence of amino acids in a protein. Understanding how these codons relate to the genetic code is essential for analyzing mutations and their effects on protein structure.

Point Mutations

Point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide base pair in the DNA sequence. These mutations can lead to different amino acids being incorporated into a protein, potentially altering its function. Identifying how a single-nucleotide change can affect the resulting amino acid is key to understanding the relationship between genotype and phenotype.

Amino Acid Properties

Amino acids have distinct properties that influence protein structure and function. Changes in the amino acid sequence due to mutations can affect the protein's stability, activity, and interactions with other molecules. Recognizing how different amino acids can impact the overall behavior of proteins is vital for interpreting the effects of mutations in tryptophan synthetase.