Terms from Iain

Question 1

Phenotype

Answer 1

the visible (detectable) properties of a mutant

Question 2

Genotype

Answer 2

the specific allele composition of a cell

Question 3

Mutation in classical genetics terms

Answer 3

a change in a gene that resulted in a change of phenotype

Question 4

Mutation in modern terms

Answer 4

a heritable change to the sequence of a DNA molecule

Question 5

Wild-Type

Answer 5

the initial ‘non-mutant’ organism

Question 6

A mutant

Answer 6

an organism carrying a mutation

Question 7

Forward mutation

Answer 7

a loss-of-function mutation (usually) that generates a mutant organisms from a wild-type on

Question 8

Reversion

Answer 8

a mutational event that converts a mutant organism back into a wild-type one

Question 9

Auxotroph

Answer 9

a micro-organism that can only grow in the presence of specific growth supplements e.g. amino acids

Question 10

Prototroph

Answer 10

organism that can grow without specific growth supplements

Question 11

Point Mutation

Answer 11

a mutation at a single point (often a single base-pair)

Question 12

Substitution mutation

Answer 12

a mutation where one base-pair in the DNA sequence is changed to another

Question 13

Frameshift mutation

Answer 13

a base-pair of DNA is incorporated into, or are lost from, a gene

Question 14

Deletion mutation

Answer 14

one of more base-pairs of DNA are lost from a gene

Question 15

Insertion mutation

Answer 15

one of more base-pairs of DNA are inserted into a gene

Question 16

Spontaneous mutation

Answer 16

a mutation that occurs in the absence fo any mutagen or other external cause

Question 17

Lesion

Answer 17

in DNA, a chemical change (damage). This is NOT A MUTATION but can lead to a mutation