Final answer:
Point mutations in the RAS protein that impact its GTPase activity can lead to an inability to hydrolyze GTP, causing a gain of function mutation that results in unregulated cell proliferation and can contribute significantly to cancer development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The parts of the RAS protein that can be point mutated are typically those involved in GTPase activity, which is crucial for the protein's function in cell signaling pathways. When point mutations occur in these regions, the result can be a RAS protein that is unable to hydrolyze GTP to GDP, leading to a state of continuous activation. This persistent activation of the RAS protein triggers downstream components in the signal transduction pathways, such as RAF, MEK, and ERK. The consequence of this is an unregulated phosphorylation cascade, ultimately leading to incessant cell division and proliferation - a hallmark of cancer. Mutations in the RAS gene are particularly significant because they are implicated in up to 30% of all cancers. An important example is the gain of function mutation in RAS, which leads to its permanent activation, contributing to oncogenesis.