Lectures 24+25 Flashcards
What is mutation rate (Greek letter mu)?
mu = n/2N where n is the number of affected offspring from unaffected parents and N is the total number of offspring. This describes the number of new mutations per generation.
What is the ultimate source for genetic variability?
Mutagenesis
In a temperature sensitive mutant, what is affected?
The gene, the encoded mRNA, and the protein are all mutant.
What is the most common type of mutation in genetic disease?
Missense mutations
What is exact genetic reversion, and how often does it occur?
Exact genetic reversion is when a gene mutation is reverted back to exactly what it was before, and it is VERY rare.
What is Equivalent Genetic Reversion?
It is when a subsequent mutation restores function from the initial mutation. Because there’s redundancy in codons, if the initial (forward mutation) changed a codon from GAG (Glu) to GTG (Val) and the subsequent mutation (reverse mutation) change the GTG (Val) to GAA (Glu), function would be restored even though it’s not the exact same codon as the original GAG.
How does “Suppression” work to overcome mutation?
A compensating 2nd site mutation restores, at least partially, the functionality lost from the 1st mutation.
What are the 2 types of Suppressor mutations?
- Intragenic - a 2nd compensating mutation in the
same reading frame restores some function - Extragenic - a 2nd compensating mutation that
occurs in another gene/reading frame restores partial function –> typically observed when the 1st mutation disrupts the interaction between two proteins and the
2nd compensating mutation helps to restore that
interaction.
When phenotypic reversion is observed, what is the more likely underlying reason?
The more likely underlying cause is a Suppressor mutation, rather than a genetic reversion.
What is somatic mosaicism and how might it happen?
Somatic mosaicism is when phenotypically reverted cells are conferred some competitive advantage, and can outgrow the non-reverted cells. This can sometimes be seen in skin conditions where the reverted cells survive better, and thus outgrow the mutant cells (i.e. Epidermolysis with somatic mosaicism.)
What are the 4 checks for Polymerase errors on normal DNA templates?
- Polymerase selectivity characterized by “ternary complex.”
- Ploymerase proofreading
- Post-replication mismatch repair
- Collection of repair and error-avoidance mechs
How does polymerase selectivity work?
It is thought that polymerase undergoes a conformational change at its catalytic site such that only the complementary base to the one it reads on the template strand can be added.
What is the key feature of DNA polymerase that allows it to “proofread?”
It has 3’ –> 5’ exonuclease activity that allows it to correct a mismatched base pair, but this MUST happen within 2 NTs or less of the error. Otherwise, the error can not be corrected by proofreading.
How does that “dam” mismatch repair work and how does the machinery know which DNA strand is the nascent strand?
If a mismatch occurs within 20-2,000bp of a DAM site with sequence GATC, MutL/H/S will nick the unmethylated DNA strand (the nascent strand) at the GATC site and helicase with endonuclease act at the nick site to create a gap starting from the nick, ending at the mismatch. Finally, DNA Pol fills in the gap.
Which of the 3 Fidelity mechanisms provides for the highest order of fidelity?
Polymerase selectivity, which has an approximate error rate of 10^-5. The other 2 mechs are 10^-2
