Price et al. [(1999). J. Bacteriol. 181:2358–2362] conducted a genetic study of the toxin transport protein (PA) of Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax in humans. Within the 2294-nucleotide gene in 26 strains they identified five point mutations—two missense and three synonyms—among different isolates. Necropsy samples from an anthrax outbreak in 1979 revealed a novel missense mutation and five unique nucleotide changes among ten victims. The authors concluded that these data indicate little or no horizontal transfer between different B. anthracis strains.
Which types of nucleotide changes (missense or synonyms) cause amino acid changes?

For the retinal cancer retinoblastoma, the inheritance of one mutated copy of RB1 from one of the parents is often referred to as a mutation that produces a 'dominant predisposition to cancer.' This means that the first mutation does not produce cancer but makes it very likely that cancer will develop.

Explain why cancer is almost certain to develop with the inheritance of one mutated copy of RB1.

When working on barley plants, two researchers independently identify a short-plant mutation and develop homozygous recessive lines of short plants. Careful measurements of the height of mutant short plants versus normal tall plants indicate that the two mutant lines have the same height. How would you determine if these two mutant lines carry mutation of the same gene or of different genes?

What is the difference between a transition mutation and a transversion mutation?

Price et al. [(1999). J. Bacteriol. 181:2358–2362] conducted a genetic study of the toxin transport protein (PA) of Bacillus anthracis, the bacterium that causes anthrax in humans. Within the 2294-nucleotide gene in 26 strains they identified five point mutations—two missense and three synonyms—among different isolates. Necropsy samples from an anthrax outbreak in 1979 revealed a novel missense mutation and five unique nucleotide changes among ten victims. The authors concluded that these data indicate little or no horizontal transfer between different B. anthracis strains.

On what basis did the authors conclude that evidence of horizontal transfer is absent from their data?

Explain the following processes involving chromosome mutations and cancer development.

How the chromosome mutation producing Burkitt lymphoma generates the disease.

Explain the following processes involving chromosome mutations and cancer development.

How the chromosome mutation producing the Philadelphia chromosome leads to CML.

What are the differences between a synonymous mutation, a missense mutation, and a nonsense mutation?

Why would a mutation in a somatic cell of a multicellular organism not necessarily result in a detectable phenotype?