A portion of DNA has the following sequence: ATACCG. What number of codons would this segment code for?
A. 6
B. 3
C. 2***
D. 1
I think it is C...?
To determine the number of codons a DNA sequence codes for, we need to understand the structure and function of codons.
A codon consists of three nucleotide bases in a DNA or RNA sequence. Each codon codes for a specific amino acid, which is the building block of proteins. DNA sequences are read in triplets, with each three-base sequence representing a codon.
In the given DNA sequence: ATACCG
The number of codons can be calculated by dividing the length of the sequence by 3.
Let's count the bases in the sequence:
A - T - A - C - C - G
So, there are 6 bases in total.
Now, dividing the total number of bases by 3:
6 / 3 = 2
Therefore, the given DNA sequence "ATACCG" codes for 2 codons.
Hence, the correct answer is C.