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Consider the following wild-type and mutant sequences:

a)The substitution shown seems to have created a stop codon. What further information do you need to be confident that it has done so?

Wild-type ....CTTGCAAGCGAATC....
Mutant ....CTTGCTAGCGAATC....

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Final answer:

To confirm if a substitution mutation has created a stop codon, knowing the reading frame of the gene is crucial. A stop codon signals the end of translation, and its mutation to an amino acid would extend the protein, potentially altering its function. A frameshift mutation can drastically change the protein product by altering the reading frame or creating a premature stop codon.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding the Impact of Substitution Mutations

To determine whether the substitution mutation in the DNA sequence has indeed created a stop codon, additional information is required. Specifically, we need to know the reading frame of the sequence—that is, where the sequence of codons begins—including the initiation codon, typically AUG, that signals the start of translation.

Codons are sets of three nucleotides in mRNA that code for specific amino acids or, in the case of a stop codon, signal the end of translation. In the given wild-type and mutant sequences, a single nucleotide change is seen, but without the reading frame, we cannot be certain if this creates a stop codon. Furthermore, if the stop codon mutates to encode another amino acid, the protein would continue to elongate, potentially changing or disrupting its function.

A frameshift mutation can have drastic effects, such as changing the reading frame of codons, which alters the amino acid sequence downstream from the mutation, or even creating a premature stop codon. This can considerably affect the final protein product's size and function.

For the provided DNA sequence ATGTTAGCCGTATGC, the corresponding mRNA sequence would be AUGUUAGGCUAUGC, and the amino acid sequence would start with Met (Methionine), followed by further translation based on the genetic code.

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