Point Mutations

Mutations Types and Causes

• changed DNA → mRNA → tRNA → amino acids → proteins → possible changes in cells

• somatic mutations (body cells) or germ line mutations (sex cells)

Silent Mutation

mutation does not change the amino acid sequence

Mis-sense Muatation

changes one amino acid for another

Non-sense Mutation

• mutation can’t be read

Oncogenes

• a gene with the potential to cause cancer

• these genes normally help cells to replicate

• when an oncogene mutates, it no longer responds to growth controls

• results in cells the replicate uncontrollably

• cells that are dangerously mutated should normally undergo rapid cell death