Name________________________________Class____________________Date____________________

Skills Worksheet

Science Skills
Interpreting Graphics

Using the “Genetic Code” chart on page 307, determine how the mutations below
will affect each amino acid sequence. In the space provided, write the names of
the amino acids that correspond to each mRNA sequence and mutation given. An
example is provided for you.
Example:

mRNA sequence: cysteine-proline UGU-CCG

mutation sequence: cysteine-arginine UGC-CGC
1. mRNA sequence: ____________________ GAA-CGU
mutation sequence: ____________________ GAU-CGU
2. mRNA sequence: ____________________ AUC-UGC
mutation sequence: ____________________
AUC-UGG
3. mRNA sequence: ____________________
UGU-CCU-CCU
mutation sequence: ____________________
UGU-UUC-CCU
4. mRNA sequence: ____________________
GGG-UUA-ACC
mutation sequence: ____________________
GGU-UAA.

5. Does item 1 above demonstrate a missense or silent mutation? Explain.

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6. What kind of mutation occurred to the mRNA sequence in item 4 above?
Explain.
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Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Biology 17 Genes in Action
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ANSWERS:

INTERPRETING GRAPHICS
1. glutamic acid-arginine to aspartic acid-arginine
2. isoleucine-cysteine to isoleucine-tryptophan
3. cysteine-proline-proline to cysteine-phenylalanine-proline
4. glycine-leucine-threonine to glycine-stop
5. A missense mutation occurred because the original codon specified
glutamic acid and the mutation led to it replacement by aspartic acid.
If the mutation led to the same amino acid, it would have been a silent
mutation.
6. A frameshift mutation occurred. One of the G nucleotides and two C
nucleotides have been deleted. The second codon is a stop codon,
which will cause translation to end prematurely. The protein for that
gene will be shortened and incomplete.

Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Biology 18 Genes in Action