Final answer:
The ΔF508 or Delta F508 mutation is associated with the deletion of phenylalanine at the 508th position in the polypeptide chain, and it is one of the main causes of cystic fibrosis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The genetic mutation associated with the deletion of the amino acid Phenylalanine (F) at the 508th position of the polypeptide chain is known as ΔF508 or Delta F508. This mutation is one of the most common causes of cystic fibrosis. The Delta symbol (Δ) indicates a deletion in the genetic code, and in this particular case, it refers to the deletion of three nucleotides that result in the loss of the phenylalanine amino acid at position 508.
Genetic mutations can greatly affect the structure and function of proteins. For instance, even a single nucleotide deletion can lead to a frameshift mutation, markedly altering the resulting protein. The sickle-cell disease is another example, caused by a point mutation resulting in a single amino acid substitution which has profound effects on the structure and function of the hemoglobin protein.