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Question: Coding segments of DNA contain CAC. Which amino acid is picked up during translation? A. Leucine ...

Coding segments of DNA contain CAC. Which amino acid is picked up during translation?
A. Leucine
B. Glutamic acid
C. Valine
D. Methionine

Explanation

Solution

During protein synthesis, translation is the process of converting the sequence of a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule into a sequence of amino acids. The genetic code is a description of the connection between a gene's base pair sequence and the amino acid sequence it encodes. To produce a polypeptide from the mRNA, the ribosome reads the sequence of the mRNA in groups of three bases in the cell cytoplasm.
Concept used:
To solve this question we need to first know the point that out of the two strands of DNA the strand which is complementary in sequence as m-RNA is known as the coding strand except thymine is replaced by uracil.
Thus, the sequence of coding strands of DNA can be associated as triplet codons on m-RNA and the polypeptide sequence can be guessed.

Complete answer:
Now let’s see each of the options to know the correct amino acid which is picked for CAC.
Option: A - Since for CAC the m-RNA would have GUG which as per the genetic code will code for Valine and not leucine.
So, Option A is not correct.
Option: B - Since for CAC the m-RNA would have GUG which as per the genetic code will code for Valine and not glutamic acid.
So, Option B is not correct.
Option: C - Since for CAC the m-RNA would have GUG which as per the genetic code will code for Valine.
Thus, Option C is correct.
Option: D - Since for CAC the m-RNA would have GUG which as per the genetic code will code for Valine and not methionine.

Hence, Option C. Valine is the correct answer.

Note:
The four bases of DNA—the A, C, G, and T s—are strung together in such a way that the cellular machinery, the ribosome, can read them and transform them into a protein known as genetic code. Each three nucleotides in a row counts as a triplet in the genetic code and codes for a single amino acid. During protein synthesis m-RNA sequence is transcribed from codons of DNA which are then translated into an amino acid chain in translation.