Question

Name the scientist who suggested that the genetic code should be made of a combination of three molecules.

Answer 1

(i) George Gamow suggested that the genetic code should be made up of a combination of three nucleotides.

(ii) He proposed that if 20 amino acids are to be coded by 4 bases, then the code should be made up of three nucleotides. 4${}^3$ = 64 (4${}^2$ = 16), which is less than 20. So, the codon was proposed to be triplet.