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Ch. 16+17 - Transcription, RNA Processing, and Translation
Chapter 16, Problem 7

Which of the following describes mutations? Select True or False for each statement. T/F Point mutations can occur in any DNA sequence. T/F Frameshift mutations can occur in any DNA sequence. T/F Neutral mutations depend on the degeneracy of the genetic code. T/F Deleterious mutations occur only in protein-coding sequences of DNA.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Point Mutations

Point mutations are alterations in a single nucleotide base pair in the DNA sequence. They can occur in any DNA sequence, including coding and non-coding regions, and can lead to various effects on gene function, depending on their location and nature. Examples include substitutions, where one base is replaced by another, which can be silent, missense, or nonsense mutations.
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Frameshift Mutations

Frameshift mutations result from insertions or deletions of nucleotides in a DNA sequence that are not in multiples of three. This shifts the reading frame of the genetic code, potentially altering the entire downstream amino acid sequence. Such mutations can occur in any DNA sequence and often lead to significant functional changes in proteins.
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Types of Mutations

Neutral and Deleterious Mutations

Neutral mutations are changes in the DNA sequence that do not significantly affect an organism's fitness, often due to the redundancy in the genetic code. In contrast, deleterious mutations are harmful and can lead to loss of function in proteins, but they can occur in both coding and non-coding regions, not just in protein-coding sequences. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for evaluating the impact of mutations.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

For each of these statements about the genetic code, select True or False. a. T/F Wobble pairing accounts for the redundancy of the genetic code. b. T/F There are 64 different tRNAs that read the 64 possible codons. c. T/F All possible codons are used, but not all codons specify an amino acid. d. T/F Some codons are recognized by proteins, not by tRNAs.

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Textbook Question

A minimal genetic code requires only 21 codons—one for each amino acid, and one for a stop signal. Given this, what advantage might be offered by having a code with 64 codons?

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Textbook Question

Imagine discovering a loss-of-function mutation in a eukaryotic gene. You determine the gene's nucleotide sequence from the start site for transcription to the termination point of transcription and find no differences from the wild-type sequence. Explain where you think the mutation might be and how the mutation might be acting.

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Textbook Question

In a particular bacterial species, temperature-sensitive conditional mutations cause expression of a wild-type phenotype at one growth temperature and a mutant phenotype at another—typically higher—temperature. Imagine that when a bacterial cell carrying such a mutation is shifted from low to high growth temperatures, RNA polymerases in the process of elongation complete transcription normally, but no new transcripts can be started. The mutation in this strain most likely affects: a. the terminator sequence b. the start codon c. sigma d. one of the polypeptides of the core RNA polymerase

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Textbook Question

Explain what's wrong with this statement: All point mutations change the genotype and the phenotype.

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Textbook Question

In what ways are a promoter and a start codon similar? In what ways are they different?

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