The term "degenerate codons" refers to codons with different nucleotide base sequences that specify the same amino acid. In the provided examples, two codons (UCU and UCA) both specify serine, indicating this is the correct answer.

The genetic code is unambiguous, because each codon only codes for one amino acid. It is also degenerate, so that each amino acid can be coded for by multiple codons. Choice 2 is incorrect, as the most 3' position on the mRNA is the wobble position.

Polynucleotide sequences are nucleic acids, so they must be DNA or RNA. Any sequence containing U (uracil) must be RNA, however there is no way to determine the type of RNA simply by looking at the sequence. This sequence could code for mRNA, rRNA, or tRNA.

mRNA is used to translate proteins. rRNA plays a structural and functional role in composing ribosomes. tRNA carries amino acids to the ribosome during translation.

Tryptophan, which is encoded on mRNA as 3'-UGG-5', is going to be transported to the ribosome via tryptophan t-RNA. The anti-codon loop must be complementary to the mRNA strand. Since the code for Tryptophan is 3'-UGG-'5, the anti-codon loop of the t-RNA must read 3'-CCA-5' in order to line up.

mRNA: 3'-UGG-'5

tRNA: 5'-ACC-3'

Degeneracy refers to the fact that more than one codon can code for the same amino acid. These codons generally differ in their third or "wobble" base. Degeneracy explains how there can be a total of sixty-four possible codons corresponding to only twenty amino acids.

Remember that DNA polymerase builds the new strand by reading the original DNA strand in a 3' to 5' direction. The newly formed strand will be read 5' to 3' and will have nucleotides that are complementary to the original strand.

During transcription, a complimentary RNA strand is constructed from a DNA template. It is important to realize that in RNA, the nucleotide base uracil is used instead of thymine as a complementary pair with adenine. The complementary strand is constructed 5’ to 3’ , but is lined up anti-parallel to the original strand.

When transcribing from a template strand, here are a few things to remember:

1. RNA polymerase reads the strand in the 3' to 5' direction.

2. In the RNA transcript, thymine is replaced with uracil.

In order to double check, make sure that the two strands are complementary when antiparallel to one another.

Template: 5'-ACTTGCAGGCC-3'

Transcript: 3'-UGAACGUCCGG-5'

mRNA is transcribed antiparallel to the DNA template, meaning that the 5' end of the mRNA sequence should align with the 3' end of the DNA sequence. Pairing rules dictate that cytosine will pair with guanine and adenine with uracil, rather than thymine. Using these conventions, we can decipher the mRNA sequence that correlates to the given DNA template.

DNA: 3' ACCTGTTAC 5'

RNA: 5' UGGACAAUG 3'

The correct answer is 3'-UCGACGGAA-5'.

In order to arrive at this answer, it is important to note that we are starting with DNA and finding the complementary mRNA. We must remember that there is no thymine in RNA; instead of thymine, RNA has uracil. The last thing to remember is that the mRNA strand will be anti-parallel, meaning that the 5' end of the DNA sequence must match up with the 3' end of the RNA sequence. Cytosine and guanine will form pairs. Adenine bases in DNA will pair to uracil bases in RNA, and thymine bases in DNA will bind to adenine in RNA.

DNA: 5'-AGCTGCCTT-3'

RNA: 3'-UCGACGGAA-5'