In an experiment to decipher the genetic code, a poly-AC mRNA (ACACACAC...) is synthesized. What pattern of amino acids would appear if this sequence were to be translated by a mechanism that reads the genetic code as

a doublet without overlaps?

Key Concepts

Genetic Code

The genetic code is a set of rules that defines how sequences of nucleotides in DNA and RNA are translated into amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. It consists of codons, which are triplets of nucleotides, each corresponding to a specific amino acid or a stop signal during protein synthesis.

Translation Mechanism

Translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins using mRNA as a template. In this context, the mechanism refers to how the ribosome reads the mRNA sequence to assemble amino acids into a polypeptide chain, which can vary based on whether it reads in triplets, doublets, or single nucleotides.

Doublet Reading

Doublet reading refers to interpreting the mRNA sequence in pairs of nucleotides instead of the standard triplet codons. This approach alters the way amino acids are assigned, as each pair of nucleotides (e.g., AC) would correspond to a specific amino acid, leading to a different protein sequence than traditional translation.