Multiple Choice
Which type of mutation is responsible for causing Tay-Sachs disease?
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17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination
Types of Mutations
Multiple Choice
In the context of types of mutations, what is the key difference between a missense mutation and a nonsense mutation?
A
A missense mutation always has no effect on the protein, whereas a nonsense mutation always increases the length of the protein.
B
A missense mutation occurs only in introns, whereas a nonsense mutation occurs only in exons.
C
A missense mutation changes a codon to specify a different amino acid, whereas a nonsense mutation changes a codon into a stop codon, causing premature termination of translation.
D
A missense mutation deletes one nucleotide from the coding sequence, whereas a nonsense mutation inserts one nucleotide into the coding sequence.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand what a missense mutation is. A missense mutation is a point mutation where a single nucleotide change results in a codon that codes for a different amino acid. This can alter the protein's structure and function but does not necessarily stop protein synthesis.
Step 2: Understand what a nonsense mutation is. A nonsense mutation is a point mutation where a single nucleotide change converts a codon that codes for an amino acid into a stop codon. This causes premature termination of translation, leading to a truncated and usually nonfunctional protein.
Step 3: Compare the effects of both mutations on the protein. Missense mutations change the amino acid sequence, potentially altering protein function, while nonsense mutations cause early termination, often resulting in incomplete proteins.
Step 4: Recognize that missense mutations do not always have no effect; they can be neutral, harmful, or sometimes beneficial, depending on the amino acid change and protein context.
Step 5: Note that nonsense mutations do not increase protein length; instead, they shorten the protein by introducing an early stop codon.
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