What does the wobble hypothesis explain?

The wobble hypothesis specifically addresses the redundancy in the genetic code by explaining how a single tRNA molecule can recognize multiple codons that code for the same amino acid. This concept highlights that the third nucleotide of a codon is less critical for correct amino acid incorporation than the first two, allowing for some flexibility or "wobble" in base pairing.

For example, different codons that differ only in their third base (such as GGU, GGC, GGA, and GGG, all coding for the amino acid glycine) can be recognized by the same tRNA due to this wobble position. This redundancy is a significant feature of the genetic code, as it reduces the negative impact of mutations and allows for variations in the genetic sequences without affecting protein synthesis.