What is the basic unit of the code that specifies an amino acid?

What is the basic unit of the code that specifies an amino acid?

• A. Nucleotide
• B. Protein
• C. Triplet
• D. Gene

Answer: (C)

A sequence of three nucleotides—the triplet—serves as the unit that codes for one amino acid during protein synthesis. These three-letter words, called codons, are the building blocks of the genetic code: each codon specifies a particular amino acid (though some codes also mark start or stop signals). A single nucleotide can’t specify an amino acid, and a gene is a longer stretch that contains many codons, while a protein is the final product made from the amino acids. So the triplet is the basic coding unit that determines which amino acid is added.

A sequence of three nucleotides—the triplet—serves as the unit that codes for one amino acid during protein synthesis. These three-letter words, called codons, are the building blocks of the genetic code: each codon specifies a particular amino acid (though some codes also mark start or stop signals). A single nucleotide can’t specify an amino acid, and a gene is a longer stretch that contains many codons, while a protein is the final product made from the amino acids. So the triplet is the basic coding unit that determines which amino acid is added.