Question

• there are approximately 3,000,000,000 base pairs in the mammalian genome (genes constitute only a small portion of this total)• there are approximately 10,000 genes in the mammalian genome• a single gene averages about 10,000 base pairs in size.Questions1. Based on the assumptions above, in the mammalian genome, how many total base pairs are in all the mammalian genes? Show your math!2. What proportion (%) of the total genome does this represent? Show your math!3. What is the probability that a random mutation will occur in any given gene? Show your math!4. Only 1 out of 3 mutations that occur in a gene result in a change to the protein structure. What is the probability that a random mutation will change the structure of a protein? Show your math!

Answer 1

1. 100,000,000 pb

2. 3.33%

3. 3.33%

4. 1.11%

Step-by-step explanation:

1. You just need to multiply the number of genes to the average size: 10,000pb*10,000pb= 100,000,000 pb

2. If 3,000,000,000 equals 100%, we use the rule of three:

3,000,000,000 – 100%

100,000,000 – X

X= (100,000,000*100)/3,000,000,000 = 3.33%

3. It equals the proportion of genes in the total genome, and since a random mutation can occur in any part of the genome, the fraction of gene material equals the probability.

4. Assuming that only one of 3 mutations will result in a protein change, We could assume that is the third part of the probability that this mutations occur in a gene, so: 3.33%/3= 1.11%.