Gene Mutation Essay, Research Paper
Define Gene Mutation A change in the base sequence of a gene Outline the difference between an insertion and a deletion Explain the consequence of a base substitution mutation in relation to the
process of transcription and translation, using the example of sickle cell
anaemia Base substitutions (aka point mutations) occur when 1 base on a DNA strand is
replaced with a different one. This can affect the resulting protein in various
ways. Great distortions can arise because during transcription and translation,
the DNA that is being read is wrong, and thus do not correctly produce a needed
protein. An incorrect sequence of amino acids may alter the shape of the
protein, the most important characteristic that defines a protein?s function. In
the case of sickle cell anaemia, the haemoglobin molecule is crystalline and
makes the red blood cell crescent-shaped. Even a slight change in the sequence
may be enough to completely alter the information-