Question

If a mutation occurs as a result of X-ray exposure, what genetic classification of mutation would most likely occur?

A hypomorph

B hypermorph

C neomorph

D antimorph

E amorph

F frameshift

G haploinsufficient

Answer 1

a) Hypomorph mutation causes a potential loss of gene function obtained by the addition of purine or pyrimidine bases like consecutive addition of many adenosine nucleotides that will decrease the messenger Ribonucleotide (mRNA) stability and ultimately reduced the protein expression.

b) Hypermorph mutation causes an increase in normal gene function due to gene duplication additional function is gained through the increased expression of mRNA and ultimately the translation provides highly expressed proteins.

c) Neomorph mutations cause dominant gain of function in a gene over normal function, leads to ectopic (abnormal) mRNA and produce a protein that has altered structure.

d) Antimorph dominant-negative mutations that act opposite to the normal gene function. These mutations can affect a protein function that acts as a dimer. In which one is normal protein while the other is mutated protein that has lost the function.

e) Amorph mutation is a genetic null that causes a complete loss of function through the breakdown of transcription and translation. It can result from a chromosomal deletion in Heterozygous or any deficiency in the homozygous gene. Amorph alleles are usually recessive to wild type alleles that are only expressed only when present in homozygous form.

f) Frameshift mutation any change in nucleotide bases will results in a change of reading frame during transcription that produced altered mRNA which eventually translated into different protein products.

g) Haploinsufficient describes a model of dominant gene action commonly present in diploid organisms, that results in new or inherited loss of function due to insufficient production of the phenotype by a single copy of the allele.   

X- rays are a type of ionizing radiation that creates ions or free radicals which physically breaks one or both sugar-phosphate backbones of Deoxyribonucleotide (DNA) or break the base pairs by forming dimers, that will lead to defective transcription of mRNA which results in either no expression into protein or loss of functional protein.

Thus, its exposure may lead to Hypomorph, Neomorph, Antimorph, Amorph, or frameshift mutations.