Homework 8 [Due Tuesday, April 23 by 11:59 PM]
1. (2.0) Why are somatic mutations not typically considered heritable?
Somatic mutations occur in non-reproductive cells and are not passed on to offspring during reproduction, so they’re
not typically considered heritable.
↑ 2. (2.0) How are neutral and missense mutations similar? What makes them different?
Neutral and missense mutations both alter the DNA sequence, but neutral mutations have no effect on the phenotype, while
missense mutations change a single amino acid in the protein sequence, potentially altering its function.
X 3. (2.0) Is it possible for a mutation to change the coding sequence (CDS) of a gene and not
affect the encoded protein? Explain your reasoning.
Yes, it’s possible for a mutation to change the coding sequence of a gene without affecting the encoded protein if the
mutation occurs in a non-coding region, such as an intron, or if it leads to a synonymous mutation, where the altered codon
still codes for the same amino acid.
4. (3.0) Some nonsense and frameshift mutations are more severe than others. What is
responsible for this observation?
The severity of nonsense and frameshift mutations can vary depending on where they occur within the gene and how they
affect the resulting protein. For example, a nonsense mutation near the beginning of a gene may result in a non-functional
protein, while one near the end may have less severe consequences.
5. (4.0) What are four terms that could be used to describe the following mutation?
*5’-TAC-3’ Û 5’-TAA-3’
The mutation described is a point mutation, specifically a transition mutation, where a purine (adenine) is replaced
by another purine (guanine). It’s also a substitution mutation and a silent mutation because it occurs in the third
position of the codon and does not change the encoded amino acid.
6. (4.0) How are neomorphic and hypermorphic mutation effects similar? What makes them
different? Neomorphic and hypermorphic mutation effects both result in altered gene function, but neomorphic
mutations create a new or novel function, while hypermorphic mutations increase the normal function
of the gene.
7. (4.0) What types of mutations cause ectopic, heterochronic, and hyperexpressive patterns
of expression? What effect do these have on the structure and function of a protein?
Ectopic, heterochronic, and hyperexpressive patterns of expression are usually caused by mutations such
as enhancer mutations, promoter mutations, and gene amplifications. These mutations can lead to weird
levels or patterns in gene expression,and can alter the structure and function of the resulting proteins.
8. (3.0) How do most chemical mutagens usually “cause” mutations to arise in the genetic
Most chemical mutagens cause mutations by modifying the chemical structure of DNA bases, thereby
material? inducing errors during DNA replication. For example, alkylating agents add alkyl groups to DNA
bases, which can lead to mispairing during replication. Other chemicals, like polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons, can form bulky adducts with DNA bases, causing distortions that interfere with
replication and repair processes.
9. (3.0) How are excision and mismatch repair mechanisms similar? How are they different?
Excision repair and mismatch repair mechanisms are both involved in repairing DNA damage, but they tend to target different types of
damage sand operate through distinct pathways. Both mechanisms involve the recognition and removal of damaged nucleotides
followed by DNA synthesis and ligation. However, excision repair primarily deals with bulky lesions such as UV-induced thymine
dimers, while mismatch repair corrects errors such as base-pair mismatches and insertion/deletion loops that arise during DNA
replication.
10. (4.0) Which DNA repair mechanisms would be responsible for fixing the following
problems? Briefly explain your answer. Note that most mutations could be repaired by more
than one mechanism.
• DNA polymerase α adds an A opposite a C instead of a G.
• The conversion of a thymine base into bromouracil which can now pair with either A or G.
• DNA polymerase α adding an A opposite a C instead of a G would likely be corrected by mismatch
repair. Mismatch repair identifies and removes incorrectly paired bases after DNA replication and replaces
them with the correct bases.
• The conversion of a thymine base into bromouracil, which can now pair with either A or G, would
likely be fixed by base excision repair. Base excision repair targets damaged or modified bases and replaces
them with the correct base, restoring the integrity of the DNA sequence.