Question

A polymorphism may involve various types of changes such as a deletion of a significant region of the gene, a duplication of a region, or a change in a single nucleotide. This last phenomenon is called a ________ polymorphism, which is the smallest type of genetic change that can occur within a given gene and are also the most common.

Answer 1

A point mutation is a change in a single nucleotide in DNA. It can be silent, missense, or nonsense. Silent mutations do not change the amino acid sequence.

Step-by-step explanation:

A point mutation is a change in a single nucleotide in DNA. This type of mutation is usually less serious than a chromosomal alteration. An example of a point mutation is a mutation that changes the codon UUU to the codon UCU. Point mutations can be silent, missense, or nonsense mutations. Silent mutations do not change the amino acid sequence, missense mutations change one amino acid to another, and nonsense mutations result in the formation of a stop codon, prematurely terminating protein synthesis.