Question

A mammalian fetus possesses a mutation that causes it to synthesize only adult hemoglobin. How will this mutation affect the fetus?

Answer 1

This mutation will affect the fetus homoglobin"s affinty to bind oxygen molecule.Basically this mutation will decrease the affinity of fetus hemoglobin for oxygen.

Step-by-step explanation:

IN fetus gamma chains are synthesized, because the gamma chain has low affinity for 2,3 bisphosphoglycerate and high affinity for oxygen. As a result the fetus hemoglobin will always remain in oxyhemoglobin state or R state or Relaxed state.

This will ultimately result in the continuous supply of oxygen to the fetus for its normal functioning.

If beta chain or adult hemoglobin is synthesized in mammalian fetus the the fetus can suffer from hypoxia as 2,3 bisphosphoglycerate bind to the cavity of beta chain of hemoglobin containing postively charged groups to decrease the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen.