Multiple Choice
Which statement best describes a frameshift mutation?
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17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination
Types of Mutations
Multiple Choice
In the context of types of mutations, which mutation is most likely to cause translation to stop prematurely?
A
An in-frame insertion of three nucleotides that adds one amino acid
B
A nonsense mutation that changes a sense codon into a stop codon
C
A missense mutation that changes one amino acid to another
D
A silent (synonymous) mutation that changes a codon but not the amino acid
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the types of mutations listed: in-frame insertion, nonsense mutation, missense mutation, and silent mutation.
Recall that translation stops prematurely when a stop codon appears earlier than expected in the mRNA sequence.
Recognize that a nonsense mutation changes a sense codon (which codes for an amino acid) into a stop codon, causing early termination of translation.
Contrast this with an in-frame insertion, which adds amino acids but does not cause early stop, a missense mutation, which changes one amino acid to another without stopping translation, and a silent mutation, which does not change the amino acid sequence at all.
Conclude that the mutation most likely to cause premature translation termination is the nonsense mutation.
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