Why is the genetic code called degenerate, and how does that protect an organism?
There are 64 codons but only 20 amino acids, so most amino acids are specified by more than one codon (leucine has six).
There are 64 codons but only 20 amino acids, so most amino acids are specified by more than one codon (leucine has six). This degeneracy means a mutation in the third base of a codon often still codes the same amino acid, leaving the protein unchanged. The redundancy therefore cushions the organism against many point mutations.
Key point
64 codons for 20 amino acids means several codons per amino acid, buffering many third-base mutations.
Common mistake
reading 'degenerate' as the code being faulty or ambiguous.
Memory tip
degenerate = many codons -> one amino acid (safe redundancy), not one codon -> many.
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