Final answer:
The short sequences of DNA that code for a protein are known as exons. These are the parts of a gene that are expressed and translated into proteins. Introns are non-coding sequences that are spliced out, while exons form the final mRNA that is translated into protein.
Step-by-step explanation:
The short sequences of DNA that code for a protein are called exons. Exons are regions of DNA that are transcribed into mRNA and then translated into the amino acids sequences of proteins. In eukaryotes, genes often contain non-coding sequences known as introns; these are spliced out during mRNA processing, leaving only the exons to be translated into protein.
An example of a frameshift mutation is a deletion of one nucleotide, which alters the reading frame of the gene. This can lead to the production of a different and often nonfunctional protein. Frame-shift mutations can significantly impact the protein's structure and function, with serious biological consequences. Mutations can occur naturally or due to external factors, and they are changes to the nucleotides in a segment of DNA that codes for a protein, referred to as gene mutations.