Final answer:
The question discusses the ability of secondary mutations, known as suppressor mutations, to counteract the effects of nonsense mutations, which cause premature protein truncation. Suppressor mutations can prevent the formation of truncated proteins, allowing organisms to survive with reduced impact from the original nonsense mutation. The term 'suppressor mutations' correctly describes these secondary mutations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nonsense mutations are changes in the genetic code that transform a codon specifying an amino acid into a stop codon. This alteration can lead to premature termination of protein translation, producing a truncated and possibly non-functional protein. However, second mutations known as suppressor mutations may occur elsewhere in the genome. These suppressor mutations can remedy the effect of the nonsense mutation and prevent the formation of the truncated protein, allowing the organism to survive without the detrimental effects of the original mutation.
The correct term for these second mutations is Suppressor mutations (Option A). These are genetically distinct from antisense mutations, silent mutations, and inhibitory mutations. A silent mutation does not produce any change in the protein's amino acid sequence, while a suppressor mutation specifically compensates for a previous mutation's effect.
Suppressor mutations can be essential in the study of genetics because they provide insights into gene interactions and protein functions. Understanding how these mutations operate not only reveals fundamental aspects of genetic regulation but also has potential applications in therapeutic strategies for genetic diseases.