Question
Question: What is a silent mutation?...
What is a silent mutation?
Solution
The word "mutation" comes from the Latin word "mutare," which means "to change." Mutation is a term used in biology to describe physical changes in chromosomes and genes. When a DNA gene is destroyed or transformed in such a way that the genetic message carried by that gene is altered, this is called mutation.
Complete answer:
Mutations in DNA that have no influence on the organism's phenotype are known as silent mutations. They're a particular kind of neutral mutation. The terms silent mutation and synonymous mutation are sometimes used interchangeably; nevertheless, synonymous mutations are not always silent, and vice versa. Synonymous mutations can influence transcription, splicing, mRNA transport, and translation, all of which can result in phenotypic changes, making the synonymous mutation non-silent.
The term "silent mutation" refers to mutations that have no phenotypic effect. Silent mutation is a point mutation that results in no change in the amino acid sequence of the protein. Both the old and new codons refer to the same amino acid.
A nonsense mutation is a type of point mutation that causes a codon to become a stop codon. It results in protein that is truncated and mostly non-functional. A quiet mutation is a point mutation in which a single nucleotide change has no effect on the amino acid coded for.
Note:
Beneficial effects of mutations-
Few mutations result in new protein versions, which aid organisms in adapting to environmental changes. Evolution occurs as a result of such mutations.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are strains of bacteria that can survive in the presence of antibiotics due to mutations in many bacteria.
A rare mutation identified in the Italian population protects them from atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty materials build up in the arteries.