Question

In the 1960s, the molecular biologist George Streisinger developed the strand-slippage hypothesis. How does the insertion mutation affect the DNA in this context?

a) Nitrogenous bases are added to the DNA.

b) Nitrogenous bases are exchanged within the DNA.

c) Nitrogenous bases in the DNA are damaged.

d) Nitrogenous bases are deleted from the DNA.

Answer 1

In the context of George Streisinger's strand-slippage hypothesis, an insertion mutation involves the addition of one or more nitrogenous bases into the DNA, leading to potential frameshift mutations.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the 1960s, molecular biologist George Streisinger developed the strand-slippage hypothesis. This hypothesis relates to how insertion mutations affect the DNA sequence. An insertion mutation is defined as the addition of one or more nitrogenous bases into the DNA. When considering how an insertion mutation would affect the DNA in the context of the strand-slippage hypothesis:

• (a) Nitrogenous bases are added to the DNA.
• (b) Nitrogenous bases are exchanged within the DNA.
• (c) Nitrogenous bases in the DNA are damaged.
• (d) Nitrogenous bases are deleted from the DNA.

The correct answer is (a) Nitrogenous bases are added to the DNA. The addition of these bases can lead to a frameshift mutation, which alters the way the DNA is read during transcription and translation, potentially resulting in significant changes to the proteins synthesized.