Question

1. briefly explain how the genetic code is analogous to the letters of the alphabet. 9. human growth hormone (hgh) is necessary for growth during human adolescence. pituitary dwarfism is a condition that results from the inability of a person to produce hgh. luckily, the human gene for hgh can be inserted into e. coli bacteria, which are able to make our hgh. the resulting hgh is used by people who are unable to make their own. what property about hereditary information makes this possible? |

Explanation:

Question 8

The genetic code consists of nucleotide triplets (codons) like A, U, G, C (in RNA) or A, T, G, C (in DNA). Letters of the alphabet are basic units (e.g., 26 in English) that combine to form words. Similarly, codons (like alphabet letters) combine in sequences to code for amino acids (which form proteins, like words form sentences/meaning). Each codon (or letter) has a specific role, and their order/sequence determines the end product (protein or meaningful text).

All living organisms (including humans and E. coli) use the same genetic code (the correspondence between codons and amino acids is universal) and share a common molecular mechanism for gene expression (transcription and translation). The human HGH gene’s DNA sequence can be read and transcribed/translated by E. coli’s cellular machinery because the genetic code is universal (same codons code for same amino acids across species) and the biochemical processes of gene expression (using RNA polymerase, ribosomes, etc.) are conserved. This universality of the genetic code and conserved gene - expression machinery allows E. coli to “understand” and express the human HGH gene.

Answer:

The genetic code’s codons (nucleotide triplets, e.g., AUG, UUU) are like alphabet letters: both are basic units that combine in ordered sequences to create meaning (codons code for amino acids/proteins; letters form words/sentences). Codons (4 types, combined as triplets) and alphabet letters (26, combined into words) use sequence - based combination to produce complex, functional outputs (proteins or language - based meaning).

Question 9