Which of the following mutations would you expect to cause the most drastic alteration in the functional performance of a polypeptide chain? (Assuming the replacement is not at the active site)
A) Replacement of glutamate with lysine.
B) Replacement of valine with alanine.
C) Replacement of aspartic acid with glutamic acid.
D) Replacement of lysine with arginine.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Glutamate and lysine have very different properties - glutamate is acidic while lysine is basic. This replacement could potentially disrupt the electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding within the polypeptide chain, as well as affect the overall charge distribution of the protein, leading to significant alterations in its function. The other replacements are less drastic because the properties of the amino acids are more similar.

Which of the Following Mutations Would You Expect to Cause