A method of dividing the sequence of nucleotides in DNA/RNA into consecutive, non-overlapping triplets

• A. Frame-shift mutation
• B. Insertion mutation
• C. Reading frame
• D. Deletion mutation

Answer: (C)

Reading frame is how the cell interprets a DNA or RNA sequence by grouping nucleotides into consecutive, non-overlapping triplets called codons. Starting at a particular base, every three bases form a codon that codes for an amino acid, so the entire protein is built according to those successive triplets. If you change the starting point, the grouping shifts, and every downstream codon changes, which would alter the protein produced. The statement describes this way of dividing the sequence into triplets for reading the genetic code, not a change to the sequence itself. Terms like frame-shift, insertion, or deletion refer to events that modify the sequence and disrupt the reading, whereas this idea is about how the existing sequence is read. Thus, the reading frame is the concept described.