Final answer:
The process of genetic translation requires the identification of a translation start codon, typically AUG or GUG, and consulting a codon chart. None of the provided sequences directly begin with a start codon. A single nucleotide change can lead to point mutations that can significantly affect the protein's function.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Genetic Translation
The subject of the question hints at the process of genetic transcription and translation, which are key aspects of gene expression where a DNA sequence is first transcribed into mRNA and then translated into a protein. For the provided gene sequence, assuming it's an mRNA sequence due to the presence of uracil: a) AGU-CGC-UAA, b) TCA-GCG-ATT, c) UCA-CGC-UAA, d) AGU-CGC-AUU, one must consult a codon chart to determine the corresponding amino acids.
However, before translating, it is essential to identify the translation start codon, typically AUG (or rarely GUG), which signals the start of a protein-coding sequence. In this case, options a) and c) begin with UAA, which is a stop codon, so these sequences would not normally be translated into a protein. Option b) begins with TCA, and since mRNA has uracil instead of thymine, there seems to be a mismatch. Option d) begins with AGU, which does code for an amino acid, serine; however, it's not a start codon. Thus, none of these sequences can be translated directly without further context, such as knowing where the start codon is located within the sequence.
A single nucleotide change, known as a point mutation, in a gene sequence can have a significant impact on the resulting protein and its function. This can range from a silent mutation, which has no effect, to a missense mutation, which changes one amino acid, or a nonsense mutation, which introduces a premature stop codon and can truncate the protein, potentially leading to loss of function or gain of a new, unintended function.