Nitrous acid and 5-bromodeoxyuracil (BrdU) alter DNA by different mechanisms. What type of mutation does each compound produce?

Key Concepts

Nitrous Acid Mechanism

Nitrous acid is a deaminating agent that converts amino groups in DNA bases into keto groups. This process primarily affects adenine, cytosine, and guanine, leading to base substitutions. For example, deamination of adenine results in hypoxanthine, which pairs with cytosine instead of thymine, potentially causing transitions in the DNA sequence.

5-Bromodeoxyuracil (BrdU) Mechanism

5-Bromodeoxyuracil (BrdU) is a thymine analog that can incorporate into DNA during replication. When incorporated, it can mispair with guanine instead of adenine, leading to base substitutions. This results in transitions or transversions, depending on the replication context, and can cause mutations during subsequent rounds of DNA replication.

Types of Mutations

Mutations can be classified into several types, including point mutations, which involve a change in a single nucleotide. The two main types of point mutations are transitions (purine to purine or pyrimidine to pyrimidine) and transversions (purine to pyrimidine or vice versa). Understanding these types is crucial for analyzing the effects of mutagens like nitrous acid and BrdU on DNA.