What aspect of the genetic code primarily reduces mutation effects?

The aspect of the genetic code that primarily reduces mutation effects is degeneracy. The degeneracy of the genetic code refers to the phenomenon where multiple codons can code for the same amino acid. This redundancy means that a single point mutation in the DNA sequence (for example, a change in one nucleotide) may not always lead to a change in the resulting protein. Since several codons can specify the same amino acid, a substitution in one codon could still result in the same amino acid being incorporated into the protein, thereby preserving its function.

This characteristic of the genetic code helps to mitigate the potential negative impacts of mutations, ensuring that many alterations do not produce deleterious effects on the organism. This buffering capability is crucial for maintaining the stability and integrity of protein function in the face of genetic variation.

The other aspects mentioned, such as non-ambiguity, stop codons, and the wobble phenomenon, play significant roles in the genetic coding process, but they do not primarily serve the purpose of reducing the effects of mutations in the way that degeneracy does. Non-ambiguity ensures that each codon specifies only one amino acid, stop codons mark the end of translation and do not contribute to buffering mutations, and the wobble phenomenon addresses