"Unfortunately it makes the unambiguous determination of triplets by these methods much more difficult than would be the case if there were only one triplet for each amino acid"

The quote from Francis Crick attends to a basic difficulty in the field of molecular biology concerning the genetic code and how it translates into proteins. To understand this, let's break down the elements of the statement.

Crick is referring to the idea of codons, which are sequences of three nucleotides (triplets) in messenger RNA (mRNA) that correspond to particular amino acids in the synthesis of proteins. The "unambiguous determination of triplets" suggests the clearness and precision with which these triplet sequences can be recognized and matched to their corresponding amino acids throughout the procedure of translation.

Crick mentions that this procedure is made complex by the redundancy intrinsic in the hereditary code, a function where several triplets (codons) can code for the exact same amino acid. There are 64 possible codons but only 20 standard amino acids, meaning that some amino acids are encoded by more than one triplet. This redundancy is referred to as degeneracy.

Crick's observation highlights the challenge: if each amino acid corresponded to a single, distinct triplet, then figuring out which triplet coded for which amino acid would be straightforward and unambiguous. However, because the system is degenerate, there are multiple possibilities for each amino acid, complicating the determination process.

This intricacy requires more sophisticated approaches to correctly translate the hereditary code and make sure that proteins are manufactured properly. In the early days of hereditary research study, before the code was totally cracked, this degeneracy positioned a considerable puzzle. Researchers needed to establish strategies to translate which triplets represented which amino acids precisely.

This insight from Crick reflects the complexities of hereditary translation and underscores the classy yet complex nature of biological systems, wherein an apparently simple triplet code includes layers of regulation and analysis-- an understanding that was vital for advancing molecular biology and genes.