How might a single base substitution in the sequence of a gene affect the amino acid sequence of a protein encoded by the gene?
A) Only a single amino acid could change, because the reading frame would be unaffected.
B) The amino acid sequence would be substantially altered, because the reading frame would change with a single base substitution.
C) All amino acids following the substitution would be affected, because the reading frame would be shifted.
D) It is not possible for a single base substitution to affect protein structure, because each codon is three bases long.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A single base substitution would only affect one codon in the mRNA sequence, which codes for a specific amino acid. As long as the substitution does not cause a shift in the reading frame (i.e. not a deletion or insertion), only one amino acid in the protein sequence would be affected.

How Might a Single Base Substitution in the Sequence of a Gene