Question

The following DNA sequence 5' TGCGATCC-3' is mutated to 5'-TGTGATCC-3'. This is an example of which type of mutation?

Transition
Transversion
Tautomeric shift
Insertion

Answer 1

The mutation from 5' TGCGATCC-3' to 5'-TGTGATCC-3' is a transversion, a type of point mutation where a purine is replaced by a pyrimidine, or vice versa.

Step-by-step explanation:

The alteration in the DNA sequence from 5' TGCGATCC-3' to 5'-TGTGATCC-3' exemplifies a transversion, a type of point mutation characterized by the substitution of a purine with a pyrimidine or vice versa. In this case, the original cytosine (a pyrimidine) at the third position is replaced by thymine (another pyrimidine), constituting a transversion event. This molecular change can impact the encoded protein or gene function, illustrating the significance of such mutations in genetic diversity and evolution. Transversions, alongside transitions (substitutions between purines or between pyrimidines), contribute to the complex landscape of genetic variations in living organisms.