Gene Mutation, Repair And Transposition Flashcards
What is the function of the DNA?
Stores information for cellular function
How can variations/changes in DNA affect someone or populations?
- Phenotypic variability
- Adaptation to environmental changes
- Evolution
- Genetic disease, cancer, cell death
How has phenotypic variation from mutation helped scientists?
Allows geneticists to identify and study the involved gene
-sometimes we only know the normal activity of a gene when we see what changes in a cell or organism after the mutation has occurred
Mutations can also act as markers for genes
What is DNA repair?
A cell has various mechanisms to correct base pair changes: DNA repair
What are the types of mutations?
- Point or base substitutions
- Missense mutation
- Nonsense mutation
- Silent mutation
What is a point/base substitution mutation?
A change from one base pair to another
What is a missense mutation?
A change in one nucleotide of a triplet within the protein coding portion of a gene resulting in a new triplet that codes for a different amino acid
What is a nonsense mutation?
A triplet is changed to a stop codon, resulting in the termination of translation of the protein (premature stop codon)
-defective protein product: extent of deficit depends on of the stop codon is at the beginning or later on in the sequence
What is a silent mutation?
There is an alteration of a codon but it doesn’t change the amino acid at that position
-if the change affects a splice site, it could affect the protein product
Objective: in what scenario can a mutation be found?
-An alteration in DNA(not major alteration in chromosome)
-Can be found in coding or noncoding
regions of a gene
- Mutations can occur in somatic cells during cell duplication
- Mutations can occur with germ cells which are heritable
What is the effect of mutations in germ cells
These are heritable and increases genetic diversity and evolution or disease
What are the effects of mutations in somatic cells during cell duplication?
Not heritable but may lead to altered cellular function or tumors
What are coding regions of a gene?
Coding region of a gene- the regions which contain the information to be translated into protein
What are the noncoding regions of a gene?
Noncoding regions may include a gene regulatory region like the promoter or introns or splice signals
What are transitions?
Pyrimidine replaces pyrimidine or a purine replaces purine
What are transversions ?
Purine and pyrimidine are interchanged
What are frameshift mutations?
- Results from the insertion of deletion of a base pair
- This causes a shift in the reading frame
- The codons for the amino acids are all changed and no longer make a proper protein
- Almost always causes a premature stop codon soon after the frameshift
What do frameshift mutations usually lead to?
- usually lead to a premature stop codon, resulting in shorter than normal protein
- Worse if this change happens neat the start of the sequence
- The RNA with a premature stop codon is often degraded by a special pathway called Nonsense Medicated Decay where the affected RNA is degraded
What are the types of loss of function mutations?
- Null mutation
- Recessive mutation
- Dominant mutation
- Dominant negative mutation
What is a loss of function mutation?
Reduces or eliminates the function of the gene product
What is a null mutation?
Complete loss of function
What is a recessive mutation?
Wild type phenotype is the other allele is wild type, 50% gene product (from the good allele) is enough to bring the wild type phenotype
What is a dominant mutation?
Mutant phenotype even when the other allele is wild type, 50% of gene product (from the good allele) is NOT ENOUGH and the defective phenotype is shown
-Also known as haploinsufficiency
What is dominant negative mutation?
The one mutant allele is inactive and directly interferes with the function of the product from the good allele
-Example of dominant negative is when the nonfunctional gene product binds to the wild type product in a homodimer, inactivating or reducing the activity of the homodimer
What are gain of function mutations?
Mutation codes for an altered gene product with enhanced, negative or new functions
-amino acid change leads to new activity
What is a suppressor mutation?
A second mutation in the same gene that reverts or relieves the effects of the first mutation (first mutation is gain of function)
Example: one deletion soon followed by insertion which restores the reading frame
If a gain of function mutation is in a regulatory region of a gene, what may be the result?
- higher expression of the gene
- The gene turned on at the wrong time
- The gene turned on in the wrong tissue or place
What are the types of lethal mutations?
Lethal mutations
Lethal condition mutations
What are lethal mutations?
-Interrupt an essential process and result in an early death
- Typical of the mutations which lead to biochemical disorders
- e.g., tay Sachs results in death in early childhood
What are lethal condition mutations?
- Usually where the viability of the organism depends on the environment
- E.g., the organism grows normally in total medium (with all nutrients) and not on minimal medium (with restricted nutrients)
What are neutral mutations?
- Majority of these types occur in noncoding regions
- Neither beneficial or detrimental
What are somatic mutations?
- Mutations restricted to the somatic cells and not transmitted to future generations
- Mutation occurs in any cell of the bidy except germ cells
- a Can occur on any chromosome
What are inherited mutations?
- Autosomal mutations occur in the germ cells and are found on the autosomal chromosomes (1-22 in humans)
- Sex-linked mutation can occur in the germ cells and are found on the X or Y chromosomes
What are inherited dominant mutations?
Phenotype seen in the first generation to inherit the mutation
What are inherited dominant mutations?
Phenotype not seen till the chance mating of two similarly affected persons brings two copies of the mutation into a single zygote which will now be homozygous for the mutation
Mutations occur…
Spontaneously and randomly
What are spontaneous mutations?
These are changes in nucleotide sequence that occurs naturally
Most arise from normal biological or chemical process in the organism that changes the structure of the nitrogenous bases
At what cellular function/genetic process dies spontaneous mutation occur?
Most often this occurs during DNA replication
What is the frequency of spontaneous mutations?
Rates vary among organisms, but in all extremely low
Some regions of DNA appear to be more prone to mutation that others FYI, nothing here to memorize
What are induced mutations?
Result from the influence exogenous factors, whether natural, or artificial
Radiation
UV light
Natural or synthetic chemicals(intrudes in processed foods)