Gene Mutations Alter The Instructions For Building Proteins
Definition
Gene mutation
A gene mutation is a permanent change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA, affecting the structure and function of proteins.
- Gene mutations can be classified into three main types:
- Substitutions
- Insertions
- Deletions.
- Imagine reading a book where a single letter is changed, added, or removed.
- The meaning of the sentence could stay the same, change slightly, or become completely nonsensical.
- This is exactly how gene mutations work.
Substitution Mutations: Swapping One Base for Another
- In substitution mutations, one nucleotide is replaced by another.
- This is like swapping a letter in a word: "cat" becomes "bat."
Since substitution mutations affect only one codon, their impact is often less severe than insertions or deletions.
Insertion Mutations: Adding Extra Bases
- In insertion mutations, one or more nucleotides are added to the DNA sequence.
- This shifts the reading frame of the genetic code, altering every codon downstream of the mutation.
