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What is the most likely effect of this mutation on the protein?

A. The protein will be slightly different in shape, but still functional.
B. The protein will be unable to fold correctly and will not be functional.
C. The protein will be truncated (shorter than normal) and may not be functional.
D. None of the above.

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

The effect of a mutation on a protein's function varies with the type of mutation. A missense mutation might result in a functional protein, whereas a nonsense or frameshift mutation typically produces a non-functional truncated protein.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely effect of a mutation on the protein depends on the type of mutation and its location within the gene. If the mutation causes a different amino acid to be incorporated, its impact on the protein's function can vary. For instance, a silent mutation would have no effect on protein function. However, a missense mutation would incorporate a different amino acid which might still allow the protein to be functional, especially if the substituted amino acid has similar properties to the original and is not in a critical part of the protein. A nonsense mutation or a frameshift due to insertion or deletion could result in a truncated, likely non-functional protein. Therefore, without more context, it's not possible to select a definitive answer from the options provided, though options B and C describe possible effects of different types of mutations.

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