Biology: Mutations and Water Potential

Vocabulary flashcards on key terms related to mutations and water potential.

Frameshift Mutation

Occurs when nucleotides are added or deleted from the DNA sequence, causing a shift in the reading frame.

Nonsense Mutation

A type of mutation that introduces a premature stop codon, leading to truncated proteins.

Osmosis

The passive movement of water through a semi-permeable membrane from lower to higher solute concentration.

Water Potential

A measurement of the potential energy of water in a system, calculated as the sum of solute and pressure potentials.

Solute Potential

Also known as osmotic potential; the part of water potential affected by solute concentration, usually a negative value.

Pressure Potential

The physical pressure exerted by fluid in a plant cell against the cell wall, contributing to turgor pressure.

Mutation

A change in the DNA sequence of an organism's genome, potentially affecting phenotype and evolutionary processes.

Point Mutation

A genetic alteration where a single nucleotide base is changed, inserted, or deleted.

Substitution Mutation

A mutation in which one nucleotide is replaced by a different nucleotide.

Silent Mutation

A substitution mutation that does not change the amino acid.

Missense Mutation

A type of substitution mutation where the new codon codes for a different amino acid.

Induced Mutation

A mutation caused by an environmental factor or mutagen.