Gene Mutation and Protein Variants |
REVIEW
The
sequence of bases in DNA codes for the amino acid sequence (primary structure)
of a protein.
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The
primary structure of the protein determines secondary structure and tertiary
structure .... and thus SHAPE.
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The
SHAPE
of the protein enables it to fit with a ligand and perform
its FUNCTION.
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.............. DNA is only a chemical - and it can be damaged easily. What
happens if the DNA molecule is damaged? Then
we would have a changed sequence!
ORIGINAL SEQUENCE: | ATGCCATGAGATGCG | Wild Type Allele |
CHANGED SEQUENCE: | ATGCCGTGAGATGCG | Mutant Allele |
So we can have 2
versions of the gene ......... these are called alleles
of
the gene. In this case we have the wild
type allele
(the "normal" version found in wild populations) and a mutant
allele
(the changed version).
......... in fact we can have many mutant alleles because a gene may be several hundred bases long ....... and any base can be changed to any of 3 others!
If a mutation occurs in the DNA of the gene what is the effect on the protein it codes for ? |
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