DNA Mutations

• What is a mutation?

  A change in the DNA base sequence
• What can cause mutations?

  Carcinogens and radiation
• How do carcinogens affect mutations?

  They increase the risk of mutations
• What is a gene?

  A section of DNA that codes for protein
• What is a triplet or codon?

  A group of 3 bases in DNA
• What does the codon ACC code for?

  Amino acid 7
• What happens if a mutation changes a codon?

  The amino acid it codes for may change
• How can a mutation affect protein function?

  It can change the protein's shape or function
• What is the effect of a mutation on an enzyme?

  It may change the active site shape
• Why do most mutations have no significant effect?

  They often only slightly affect proteins
• What is non-coding DNA?

  DNA that doesn't code for protein
• What role does some non-coding DNA play?

  It helps in gene expression regulation
• Why is the hemoglobin gene switched off in nerve cells?

  It's not needed in nerve cells
• What are the three specific types of mutations?

  • Substitutions
  • Insertions
  • Deletions
• What is a substitution mutation?

  One base is changed for another
• How does an insertion mutation affect the DNA sequence?

  An extra base is added to the sequence
• Why are insertion mutations often worse than substitution mutations?

  They shift all subsequent bases along
• What happens during a deletion mutation?

  One base is removed from the sequence
• How does a deletion mutation affect subsequent codons?

  All subsequent codons shift left
• What are the consequences of mutations?

  • Change in protein function
  • Potentially harmful effects
  • Often no significant effect
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