Degeneracy of codon means:-
**Core Concept**
The concept of degeneracy in genetics refers to the redundancy of the genetic code, where more than one **codon** (a sequence of three nucleotides) can code for the same **amino acid**. This is due to the specific nature of **DNA** to **protein** translation.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Degeneracy of the codon means that a single amino acid can be encoded by more than one codon. This occurs because there are 64 possible codons but only 20 amino acids and three stop signals. The genetic code is degenerate, meaning more than one codon sequence can encode the same amino acid, which helps in reducing the impact of **mutations**.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option is incorrect because it does not relate to the definition of degeneracy in the context of the genetic code.
**Option B:** Similarly, this option does not accurately describe the concept of degeneracy.
**Option C:** This option is also incorrect as it does not define degeneracy.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
A key point to remember is that the degeneracy of the genetic code provides a form of protection against the effects of **point mutations**, as many mutations will not result in a change to the amino acid sequence of the protein.
**Correct Answer:** D. More than one codon can code for one amino acid.