Question

A missense mutation could be described by each of the following EXCEPT

A. loss of function.
B. silent.
C. neutral.
D. conditional.
E. Actually, all of these can describe missense mutations.

Answer 1

A missense mutation results in a change in the amino acid sequence of a protein and can have various effects on its functions, but is distinct from a silent mutation, which does not change the protein sequence at all.

Step-by-step explanation:

A missense mutation is a type of genetic mutation where a single nucleotide change results in the coding of a different amino acid, potentially altering the function of a protein. Such mutations can have diverse effects, from benign to deleterious. However, silent mutations do not result in a change to the amino acid sequence of a protein and are typically without effect on the protein's function. Therefore, the correct answer to the question 'A missense mutation could be described by each of the following EXCEPT' is B. silent. While missense mutations can be loss of function, neutral, or conditional, they are not silent, as silent mutations do not alter the amino acid sequence and hence the protein function remains unchanged.