What is a frame shift mutation?

Question

Natalie Ahrens · Accepted Answer

A frame shift mutation is a genetic mutation caused by indel ( insertions and deletions ) of a number of nucleotides in a DNA sequence, that is not divisible by three.

Because codons express genes in triplets, insertions or deletions can alter the reading frame, leading to a translation that differs greatly from the source. A frameshift mutation will typically result in a polypeptide that is abnormally long or short and is most likely not functional, with the codons that follow the mutation being read to code for different amino acids. Frameshift mutations make people more vulnerable to some types of familial hypercholesterolemia and certain cancers. A number of biological mechanisms, such as guide RNA, suppressor mutations, and reverse mutations, aid in the prevention of frameshift mutations.

Emma Arvizu · Answer

undefined A frame shift mutation is a type of genetic mutation that occurs when nucleotides are inserted into or deleted from a gene sequence, causing a shift in the reading frame during translation. This can result in a completely different amino acid sequence downstream from the mutation, leading to significant changes in the resulting protein's structure and function.