Mutations

Question 1

What is mutation?

Answer 1

• a change to the necleotide sequence of DNA

- spontaneous mistakes made when replacting DNA - interphase

Question 2

What are the three tpyes of mutations?

Answer 2

substitution
insertion
deletion

Question 3

What is substitution in mutations?

Answer 3

• When one base is swapped for another
• no change to other bases - if it does change, it will be a change of
  single amino acid

Question 4

What is insertion in mutation?

Answer 4

• an extra base is added

- frame shift - all following triplets in a sequence are affected

Question 5

What is deletion in mutation?

Answer 5

• a base is removed

- frame shift

Question 6

What is neutral mutation?

Answer 6

• has no effect on the function of the polypeptide

- no effect on the fittness of the organism

Question 7

What are some advantages of mutation?

Answer 7

• could improve the function of the polypetide
• this can increase the chances of survival and reproduction
  e. g. makes active site more complimentary to substrate

Question 8

What are some disadvantages of mutation?

Answer 8

• cause change to make protein function less well - or non-functional
• this decreases the chcances of survival and reproduction
  e. g. cystic fibrosis - mutation to CFTR