Final answer:
A gain of function mutation in the Ras protein facilitates colon cancer progression by causing an unregulated phosphorylation cascade, which leads to uncontrolled cell division and tumor growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oncogenic activation mutation that will facilitate colon cancer progress is a gain of function mutation in the Ras protein. Mutations in the Ras gene can lead to an unregulated phosphorylation cascade as the Ras protein is critical in the MAP kinase signal transduction pathway, which affects cell proliferation and differentiation. If the Ras protein is mutated, it may become constitutively active, meaning it is always turned on, which can cause uncontrolled cell division, leading to cancer. Specifically, in certain cancers, a mutation can inhibit the GTPase activity of the Ras protein, preventing it from hydrolyzing GTP to GDP, which perpetuates signaling and promotes uncontrolled cell growth.