Number of of codons in a genetic triplet code is

Options

A. 4
B. 16
C. 32
D. 64

Answer

To determine the number of codons in a genetic triplet code, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Genetic Code**: The genetic code is made up of sequences of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that correspond to specific amino acids or signals during protein synthesis.

2. **Identify the Structure of Codons**: A codon consists of three nucleotides (triplet). Each nucleotide can be one of four bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), or uracil (U) in RNA (or thymine (T) in DNA).

3. **Calculate the Total Number of Codons**: Since each position in the codon can be occupied by any of the four bases, the total number of possible combinations for a codon can be calculated using the formula:
\[ \text{Total Codons} = 4^n \]
where \( n \) is the number of nucleotides in the codon. For a triplet code, \( n = 3 \):
\[ \text{Total Codons} = 4^3 = 64 \]

4. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the total number of codons in a genetic triplet code is 64. This includes codons that specify the 20 amino acids and also includes stop codons.

### Final Answer:
The number of codons in a genetic triplet code is **64**.

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