Question

Insertion or deletion of a single base causes
a. Inversion mutation
b. Transition mutation
c. Frame-shift mutation
d. Transverse mutation

Answer 1

Mutation is sudden and heritable change independent of the environment and liable to provide a permanent step of which evolutionary changes may be built. These mutations can occur either in genes or chromosomes.

Complete answer:
The various types of mutations are:

Most of the gene mutations involve a change in only a single nucleotide or nitrogenous base of the cistron. These gene mutations are called point mutations. A mutation that involves more than one base pair is termed as gross mutation.

A change in nitrogen bases at the third position of a codon may make the same sense when it does not cause any change in the expression of the codon because the codon is mostly read by the first two nitrogen bases. The mutation that does not cause any change in the expression of the gene is called silent mutation.

Insertion or deletion of one or more nucleotides of a cistron changes the reading of the frame of base sequence and causes frameshift or gibberish mutations. In this, an entirely new polypeptide is synthesized from the area of change.
For example, in a type of thalassemia which is an inherited blood disorder resulting in anemia, the beta-chain of hemoglobin is changed due to frame shift mutation.

The other types of mutations are mis-sense mutation, same –sense and non-sense mutations. These occur when a codon changes amino acid in the polypeptide.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: Mutations may be spontaneous mutations that occur randomly, naturally and automatically due to internal reasons without any relation to any external factor or induced mutations that are produced in response to specific external factors and chemicals.