Textbook Question
Consider the following segment of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:
ACA UCA CGG GUA
b. What is the amino acid order if a point mutation changes UCA to ACA?
Ch.17 Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis
Timberlake14th EditionChemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9781292472249
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 Chemistry in Our Lives19
- Ch.2 Chemistry and Measurements80
- Ch.3 Matter and Energy53
- Ch.4 Atoms and Elements58
- Ch.5 Nuclear Chemistry42
- Ch.6 Ionic and Molecular Compounds57
- Ch.7 Chemical Quantities and Reactions38
- Ch.8 Gases30
- Ch.9 Solutions50
- Ch.10 Acids and Bases and Equilibrium64
- Ch.11 Introduction to Organic Chemistry: Hydrocarbons77
- Ch.12 Alcohols, Thiols, Ethers, Aldehydes, and Ketones82
- Ch.13 Carbohydrates54
- Ch.14 Carboxylic Acids, Esters, Amines, and Amides91
- Ch.15 Lipids61
- Ch.16 Amino Acids, Proteins, and Enzymes84
- Ch.17 Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis86
- Ch.18 Metabolic Pathways and ATP Production73
Timberlake14th EditionChemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9781292472249Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 17, Problem 65e
Consider the following segment of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:
ACA UCA CGG GUA
e. What is the amino acid order if an insertion mutation adds a G to the beginning of the mRNA segment?
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the problem: An insertion mutation adds a nucleotide (G) to the beginning of the mRNA sequence. This will shift the reading frame, altering the codons and potentially changing the amino acid sequence.
Write the new mRNA sequence after the insertion mutation. Adding G to the beginning of the original sequence ACA UCA CGG GUA results in: GACA UCA CGG GUA.
Divide the new mRNA sequence into codons (groups of three nucleotides) starting from the first nucleotide. The new codons are: GAC, AUC, ACG, GGU, A.
Use the genetic code table to translate each codon into its corresponding amino acid. For example, GAC codes for aspartic acid, AUC codes for isoleucine, and so on. Continue this process for all codons.
Note that the last codon (A) is incomplete and cannot code for an amino acid. This may result in a truncated protein or no translation for that part of the sequence.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
mRNA and Codons
mRNA, or messenger RNA, is a single-stranded molecule that carries genetic information from DNA to the ribosome, where proteins are synthesized. It is composed of codons, which are sequences of three nucleotides that correspond to specific amino acids. Understanding how codons are formed and read is essential for determining the resulting amino acid sequence.
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6:37
Transcription: mRNA Synthesis Concept 1
Insertion Mutation
An insertion mutation occurs when one or more nucleotides are added to a DNA or RNA sequence. This type of mutation can shift the reading frame of the codons, potentially altering the entire amino acid sequence downstream. Recognizing how an insertion affects the original sequence is crucial for predicting the new amino acid order.
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Amino Acid Sequence
The amino acid sequence is the order of amino acids in a protein, determined by the sequence of codons in mRNA. Each amino acid is specified by a corresponding codon, and changes in the mRNA sequence, such as those caused by mutations, can lead to different amino acids being incorporated. This sequence ultimately influences the protein's structure and function.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
A point mutation changes a codon in the mRNA for an enzyme from GCC to GCA. Why is there no change in the amino acid order in the protein?
Textbook Question
Consider the following segment of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:
ACA UCA CGG GUA
f. What is the amino acid order if a deletion mutation removes the A at the beginning of the mRNA segment?
Textbook Question
In sickle-cell anemia, a point mutation in the mRNA for hemoglobin results in the replacement of glutamate with valine in the resulting hemoglobin molecule. Why does the replacement of one amino acid cause such a drastic change in biological function?
Textbook Question
How is protein synthesis affected if the normal base sequence TTT in the DNA template strand is changed to TTC?
Textbook Question
Consider the following segment of mRNA produced by the normal order of DNA nucleotides:
ACA UCA CGG GUA
a. What is the amino acid order produced from this mRNA?