Question 1

What is a genetic mutation?

Accepted Answer

An alteration in the nucleotide sequence of an organism's genome

(can help with genetic diversity, but usually leads to negative outcomes)

Question 2

What are point mutations?

Accepted Answer

Mutations that only affects a single nucleotide/base of nucleic acid

(deletion, insertion, substitution)

Question 3

What are frameshift mutations?

Accepted Answer

A type of mutation where some number of nucleotides are added or deleted, but only if that number isn't a multiple of three

(codons are given in triplets, which is why it can't be a multiple of three)

Question 4

What are missense mutations?

Accepted Answer

Type of mutation where the wrong nucleotides are substituted into the DNA sequence, resulting in the substitution of a different amino acid in the created protein

(could cause no problem, but can also lead to huge issues such as sickle cell anemia)

Question 5

What is a nonsense mutation (stop mutation)?

Accepted Answer

Type of mutation with substitution of the wrong nucleotides into the DNA sequence, causing a protein to stop being built earlier than expected

(the nonsense mutation causes a stop codon (which tells the protein synthesis when to stop) to be placed before the real stop codon)

Question 6

What are thymine dimers?

Accepted Answer

Damage caused by too much exposure to UV light, causing two adjacent thymine dimers to bind together

(can cause further mutations if the DNA tries to replicate)

Mutations, AP Biology Flashcards