Question:

A genetic code, in which two or more codons specify for a single amino acid, is called __________.

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Think of the term used when several codons code for the same amino acid, like leucine having six codons.
Updated On: Jul 4, 2026
  • commaless
  • degenerate
  • overlapping
  • ambiguous
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Since there are 61 sense codons but only 20 amino acids, many amino acids are coded for by more than one codon.
Step 2: This property, where multiple codons specify the same amino acid, is called degeneracy, and the code is described as a degenerate code.
Step 3: Commaless refers to codons being read continuously without gaps, overlapping refers to a single base being shared between two codons (which does not normally happen), and ambiguous would mean one codon codes for more than one amino acid, which is the opposite of what is described here.
Step 4: So the correct term is degenerate.
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