= Degeneracy of the genetic code
<Degeneracy of the genetic code> means that distinct <codons> can specify the same <amino acid>. For example, UUU and UUC both specify <phenylalanine> in the standard <genetic code>.<Biology 2e by Mary Ann Clark and others>[§15.1, Figure 15.4 and paragraph defining degeneracy]{ref} In the original AUG GCU UUC UGA example, changing UUC to UUU preserves the predicted <amino acid> order. This illustrates redundancy of assignment, not equality of every possible effect on <gene expression>.
<Degeneracy of the genetic code> differs from ambiguity: multiple inputs share one output, whereas an ambiguous assignment would give a single <codon> more than one meaning in the same specified decoding context. The standard <genetic code> table has one listed assignment per triplet. Alternative <genetic codes>, including those used in some <mitochondria>, and engineered decoding contexts must be specified separately; the standard table is not a universal statement about all <organelles> or synthetic systems.
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