Question

how does the degenerate nature of the genetic code help avoid problems with substitutions?

Answer 1

Explanation:

Mutations are errors in codons caused by changes in nucleotide bases. Some mutations may not have much effect. For example, if the codon GAA becomes the codon GAG, because the genetic code is degenerate, the codon will still code for the amino acid glutamate. Such ineffectual mutations are called silent mutations. Some mutations, however, can have a huge affect on coding for amino acids, which can in turn affect what proteins are produced, which can have a profound effect on cellular and organismal function.

The most common mutations occur in two ways: 1) a base substitution, in which one base is substituted for another; 2) an insertion or deletion, in which a base is either incorrectly inserted or deleted from a codon

Answer 2

the genetic code is described as degenerate, or redundant, because a single amino acid may be coded for by more than one codon. ... For instance, mitochondria have an alternative genetic code with slight variations.