different types and effects of dna mutations
Gene mutations have varying effects on health, depending on where they occur and whether they alter the function of essential proteins. Missense mutation (illustration) This type of mutation is a change in one DNA base pair that results in the substitution of one amino acid for another in the protein made by a gene.
Frameshift mutation (illustration) This type of mutation occurs when the addition or loss of DNA bases changes a gene's reading frame. A reading frame consists of groups of 3 bases that each code for one amino acid. A frameshift mutation shifts the grouping of these bases and changes the code for amino acids.
A mutation that changes the number of DNA bases in a gene by adding a piece of DNA. Effects are one of the following: 1) No effect if the mutated codon still codes for the same amino acid. 2) It can result in the protein having one different amino acid.