In translation, the process of 'wobble' at the third codon position explains why the genetic code is degenerate. Wobble occurs because:

• A The ribosome A site tolerates mismatched base pairs in the first position of the anticodon
• B Multiple amino acids can be encoded by the same tRNA through editing
• C The 30S ribosomal subunit randomly skips codons at low frequency
• D The anticodon's 5' wobble position can pair with multiple bases at the codon's 3' position ✓

Explanation

Wobble (Crick's wobble hypothesis) refers to the non-Watson-Crick base pairing at the third codon position (3' end of codon) with the first anticodon position (5' wobble position of anticodon). The 5' base of the anticodon (position 34) can pair with multiple bases at codon position 3 — e.g., inosine (I) in the wobble position can pair with U, C, or A. This allows a single tRNA to recognize multiple synonymous codons (degenerate codons), reducing the number of tRNA species needed. Wobble explains why most synonymous mutations are silent (e.g., codons differing only in the third position often encode the same amino acid).

Reference: Harper's Illustrated Biochemistry, 32nd ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.