Mutations and Protein Synthesis

Front

What is a mutation?

Back

A mutation is a change in the DNA sequence of an organism's genome.

Front

What are the types of mutations?

Back

The main types of mutations are substitution, insertion, and deletion.

Front

How can mutations benefit organisms?

Back

Mutations can make an organism more suited to live in its environment, potentially leading to evolutionary advantages.

Front

What is the role of mRNA in protein synthesis?

Back

mRNA (messenger RNA) carries the genetic information from DNA to the ribosomes, where proteins are synthesized.

Front

What does a codon represent?

Back

A codon is a sequence of three nucleotides in mRNA that corresponds to a specific amino acid.

Front

What is the function of tRNA?

Back

tRNA (transfer RNA) brings amino acids from the cytoplasm to the ribosomes during protein synthesis.

Front

What is a substitution mutation?

Back

A substitution mutation occurs when one nucleotide in the DNA sequence is replaced by another nucleotide.

Front

What is a frameshift mutation?

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A frameshift mutation occurs when nucleotides are inserted or deleted from the DNA sequence, altering the reading frame.

Front

Why are insertion and deletion mutations often more harmful than substitution mutations?

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Insertion and deletion mutations can change all subsequent codons, leading to a completely different amino acid sequence.

Front

What is the genetic code?

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The genetic code is the set of rules by which information encoded in mRNA is translated into proteins.