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?

leucine

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the codons that code for leucine. Leucine is encoded by six codons: UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, and CUG.
2. Understand the concept of wobble base pairing. The wobble hypothesis allows the third base of the codon to pair with more than one base in the anticodon of tRNA, which means fewer tRNAs are needed to recognize multiple codons.
3. Determine which positions in the leucine codons can utilize wobble pairing. The third position in the codons is where wobble pairing can occur.
4. Analyze the possible anticodon pairings for the leucine codons. For example, the anticodon GAG can pair with the codons CUC and CUU due to wobble at the third position.
5. Calculate the minimal number of tRNA molecules needed by grouping codons that can be recognized by the same tRNA due to wobble.

Key Concepts

Wobble Hypothesis

The wobble hypothesis explains how the third position of a codon can pair with multiple tRNA anticodons, allowing a single tRNA to recognize more than one codon. This flexibility in base pairing is crucial for efficient protein synthesis, as it reduces the number of tRNA molecules needed to translate the genetic code.

Codons and Amino Acids

Codons are sequences of three nucleotides in mRNA that specify particular amino acids during protein synthesis. Each amino acid can be encoded by multiple codons, which is particularly true for leucine, which has six different codons. Understanding this relationship is essential for determining the number of tRNAs required.

tRNA Molecules

Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules are responsible for bringing the appropriate amino acids to the ribosome during translation. Each tRNA is specific to one amino acid and can recognize multiple codons due to the wobble effect, which allows for a more efficient translation process and minimizes the number of distinct tRNA types needed.