Lecture 6: Mutations and Cancer

Effect of DNA sequence changes

Substitutions and Indels in protein coding regions

An example of a silent mutation

An example of a missense mutation

Gly becomes Ser

Hydrophobic becomes hydrophilic

It could impact ability to remain embedded in a membrane (for example)

Sickle Cell Anaemia is an example as well

An example of a nonsense mutation

An example of a frameshift mutation via insertion

An example of a Frameshift mutation via deletion

An example of a 3 nucleotide-pair mutation

MPF at the G2 checkpoint

The checkpoints rely on stop and go cell signals

Mutations in STOP and GO

Proto-oncogenes and Tumor suppressor genes

Proto-oncogene to oncogene >> increased function

Deactivated tumor suppressor genes >> loss of function

Multiple DNA changes in the development of cancer