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Ch. 14 - Translation and Proteins
Chapter 14, Problem 12

Predict the amino acid sequence produced during translation by the following short hypothetical mRNA sequences (note that the second sequence was formed from the first by a deletion of only one nucleotide):

Sequence 1: 5'-AUGCCGGAUUAUAGUUGA-3'
Sequence 2: 5'-AUGCCGGAUUAAGUUGA-3'

What type of mutation gave rise to sequence 2?

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the start codon in Sequence 1, which is 'AUG', and note that translation begins here.
Translate Sequence 1 by reading each set of three nucleotides (codons) from the start codon to the stop codon, using a codon table to determine the corresponding amino acids.
Identify the start codon in Sequence 2, which is also 'AUG', and note that translation begins here as well.
Translate Sequence 2 by reading each set of three nucleotides (codons) from the start codon to the stop codon, using a codon table to determine the corresponding amino acids.
Compare the amino acid sequences derived from Sequence 1 and Sequence 2 to determine the effect of the deletion mutation, which is a frameshift mutation, on the resulting protein.

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Key Concepts

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

Translation

Translation is the process by which ribosomes synthesize proteins using the information encoded in mRNA. During translation, the ribosome reads the mRNA sequence in sets of three nucleotides, known as codons, each of which corresponds to a specific amino acid. This process is essential for converting genetic information into functional proteins.
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Translation initiation

Mutations

Mutations are changes in the nucleotide sequence of DNA that can lead to alterations in the corresponding mRNA and, consequently, the protein produced. They can be classified into several types, including point mutations, insertions, deletions, and frameshift mutations. Understanding the type of mutation is crucial for predicting how it affects protein synthesis.
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Mutations and Phenotypes

Frameshift Mutation

A frameshift mutation occurs when nucleotides are inserted or deleted from the DNA sequence, causing a shift in the reading frame of the codons during translation. This can lead to a completely different amino acid sequence downstream of the mutation, potentially resulting in a nonfunctional protein. In the context of the question, identifying whether the deletion in sequence 2 caused a frameshift is key to understanding the mutation's impact.
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Point Mutations