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Microbial Genetics

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35 views4 pages

Microbial Genetics

Uploaded by

Samia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Definitions

Microlesions: small changes in DNA.

Point mutations: the smallest change in DNA.

Macrolesions: larger mutations (less common).

Spontaneous mutations:
Mutations that arise without exposure to external agents.

Induced mutations:
Mutations that are the result of exposure to a mutagen (physical or chemical agent).

Tautomerism:
Tautomers are structural isomers that differ from one another based on the position of proton(s)
and double bonds.
A pairs with C (animo-imino) and T pairs with G (keto-enol).

Transition:
T replaced by C (pyrimidine by pyrimidine) and A replaced by G (purine by purine).
AT to GC.

Transversion:
T replaced by A or G (pyrimidine by purine) and A replaced by T or C.
AT to CG or TA.

* How do addition or deletion occur?


These mutations generally occur where there is a short stretch of the same nucleotide. In such
a location, the pairing of template and new strand can be displaced by the distance of the
repeated sequence leading to additions or deletions of bases in the new strand.

Addition: slippage in new strand.

Deletion: slippage in parental strand.

Apurinic site: purine base is missing or lost.

Apyrimidinic site: pyrimidine base is missing or lost.

* Reactive forms of oxygen such as O2 free radicals and peroxides produced during aerobic
metabolism may alter DNA bases and cause mutations. eg. altering guanine to pairs with
adenine during replication.
Transposons:
are DNA sequences that move from one location on the genome to another.

* Insertions and transposons usually inactivate genes.

* Hypothesis by John Cairns.


Directed or Adaptive mutation—
that is, some bacteria seem to be able to select which mutations occur so that they can better
adapt to their surroundings.
Mutator genes can cause hypermutation under nutritional stress.

Types of chemical mutagens (Induced mutations):-

- Base analogs:
They are mutagenic chemicals that can be substitute for purines or pyrimidines.
Eg. Enol tautomer, T forms hydrogen bonds like C to pair with G instead of A.

- DNA-modifying agents:
It changes a base’s structure and therefore alter its base pairing characteristics.
Eg. Methyl-nitrosoguanidine (alkylating agent) adds methyl groups to G, causing it to mispair
with T.

- Intercalating agents:
They are molecules that may insert between bases in DNA, causing frameshift mutation
(addition or deletion) during replication.
Eg. Acridine orange.

Types of Mutations:-

Wild type:
Gene, in its natural, non-mutated form.

Forward mutation:
A mutation from wild type to a mutant form.

Reversion mutation:
Mutation where the mutant nucleotide sequence is converted back to the wild-type sequence.

Suppressor mutations:
Mutation that counters the phenotypic effect of the previous mutation. (Second mutation).

Mutations in Protein-Coding Genes:-

Silent mutations:
They change the nucleotide sequence of a codon, but do not change the amino acid encoded
by that codon. So no change in protein.
Eg. if the codon CGU were changed to CGC, it would still code for arginine.

Missense mutations:
They involve a single base substitution that changes a codon for one amino acid into a codon
for another.
The effects of missense mutations vary. They alter protein structure, but the effect of this
change may range from complete loss of activity to no change at all.
They play a very important role in providing new variability to drive evolution because they often
are not lethal and therefore remain in the gene pool.

Nonsense mutations:
They cause the early termination of translation and therefore resulting in shortened polypeptide,
because they convert a sense codon to a nonsense or stop codon.
Most proteins retain some function if they are shortened by one or two amino acids.
But cannot function normally if mutation occurs closer to the beginning or middle of the gene.

Frameshift mutations:
It arises from the insertion or deletion of one or two base pairs within the coding region of the
gene.
Can produce non-functional proteins and stop codon.
Second frameshift can restore the reading frame, so the phenotypic effect might not be as
drastic.

Phenotypic mutations in microorganisms:-

Morphological mutations:
It changes the microorganism’s colonial or cellular morphology.

Lethal mutations:
When expressed, result in the death of the microorganism.
They can be recovered (for isolation and to be studied) only if they are recessive in diploid
organisms or are conditional mutations in haploid organisms.

Conditional mutations:
They are expressed only under certain environmental conditions.

Biochemical mutations:
They cause a change in the biochemistry of the cell.
Often inactive biosynthetic pathways so donot make essential nucleotide or amino acids.

Auxotroph = mutant that cannot grow on minimal medium, requires certain supplements.
Prototroph = wild type, it will grow in minimal medium or medium lacking the supplement.

Resistance mutant = mutants that have acquired resistance to some pathogen, chemical or
antibiotic.

Mutations in Regulatory Sequences:


Mutations in operator sequence causes repressor protein unable to bind to it, leading to
transcription.
Mutations in promoters leads to no transcription as RNA polymerase rarely transcribes a gene
as well as wild type.

Mutations in rRNA and tRNA:


It alters the phenotype of an organism through disruption of protein synthesis.
Initially identified because of their slow growth.
A suppressor mutation involving tRNA will restore normal growth rates.

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