BRAINCAKEGene Mutations
A change in the sequence of DNA is called a gene mutation.
This change will be copied to an mRNA strand and translated into a protein.
This could lead to a different sequence of amino acids and this may affect the secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures of the protein leading to a protein that functions differently or does not function at all.
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Key terms in this lesson
- nucleotide
- A molecule made of a pentose sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogen-containing base.
- gene
- A length of DNA that codes for a polypeptide or a functional RNA molecule, at a specific locus on a chromosome.
- codon
- A sequence of three bases on mRNA that codes for a specific amino acid or a stop signal.
- mutation
- A random change in the amount, arrangement or base sequence of the DNA of an organism.
More in Genetic Diversity
- Mutations
- Chromosome Mutations
- Substitution of Bases
- Deletion of Bases
- Polyploidy and Hybrids
- Meiosis
- The Process of Meiosis
- Genetic Recombination by Crossing Over
All 19 lessons in Genetic Diversity · All AQA AS-level Biology topics