What does it mean that the genetic code is degenerate?

Question

I am reading a book about the Human Genome and it says that the genetic code is degenerate. What does that mean?

Answer 1

Lack of 1:1 correspondence between the DNA/RNA message and the protein.  The 64 codons encode 21 entities (20 amino acids and termination).  An amino acid can correspond to one of several codons so you cannot infer the DNA sequence from the protein sequence.

Answer 2

Basically, it means that, in the coding region of a gene, each set of three nucleotides codes for one amino acid.  But, since there are only 20 amino acids, and many more 3-nucleotide combinations, then each amino acid is coded for by more than one codon.

OK, I'm not sure if I explained that very clearly.  If you go to the link I gave below, you'll find a chart, listing all of the different codons and their amino acids. Let's use the amino acid Serine for an example.  A codon of UCU, UCA, UCG, and UCC will all give you the same amino acid.  

This makes the genome a little more resistant to mutation.  Say that the codon GCC suffers a point mutation and changes to GCA.  Despite the change in sequence, the amino acid will still be Alanine, so there will be no change in the final protein.

Answer 3

It means that it would be slowly and constantly breaking. Errors are being introduced as it multiplies. Many errors are passed onto the next generation. Information in the code is always in the process of being lost.