Question

Which of the gene mutations listed below is the least likely to negatively impact the resulting protein?

A. A missense substitution

B. A frameshift mutation

C. A nonsense substitution

D. These are all equally likely to have harmful effects on the resulting protein.

Answer 1

Consider the different types of gene mutations and their effects on protein structure and function.

Complete step-by-step Answer: A missense substitution is a type of gene mutation in which one nucleotide is substituted for another. This can result in a change in the amino acid sequence of the resulting protein.

Missense substitutions are the most common type of gene mutation. They can have a variety of effects on the resulting protein, depending on the specific amino acid that is changed. Some missense substitutions may have no effect on the protein, while others may cause the protein to malfunction or to be completely inactive.

Frameshift mutations and nonsense substitutions are more likely to have a harmful effect on the resulting protein than missense substitutions.

A frameshift mutation is a type of gene mutation in which one or more nucleotides are inserted or deleted from the DNA sequence. This can cause the reading frame of the DNA sequence to shift, which can lead to the production of a completely different protein.

A nonsense substitution is a type of gene mutation in which a nucleotide is substituted for a stop codon. Stop codons are nucleotides that signal the end of a protein sequence. A nonsense substitution can cause the protein to be truncated, which means that it will be shorter than the normal protein.

Truncated proteins are often inactive or malfunctioning.

The following table summarizes the different types of gene mutations and their effects on protein structure and function:

Type of Mutation	Effect on Protein Structure and Function
Missense Substitution	Can have a variety of effects on the protein, depending on the specific amino acid that is changed. Some missense substitutions may not affect the protein, while others may cause the protein to malfunction or to be completely inactive.
Frameshift Mutation	Can cause the reading frame of the DNA sequence to shift, which can lead to the production of a completely different protein. Frameshift mutations are often harmful.
Nonsense Substitution	Can cause the protein to be truncated, which means that it will be shorter than the normal protein. Truncated proteins are often inactive or malfunctioning.

Hence the correct answer is Option A

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Note: Missense substitutions are less likely to have a harmful effect on the resulting protein than frameshift mutations and nonsense substitutions. This is because missense substitutions can sometimes result in a change in the amino acid sequence that does not significantly affect the protein's structure or function. However, it is important to note that any change in the amino acid sequence of a protein has the potential to affect its structure and function, so even missense substitutions can be harmful.