Transversion substitution

Definition

A transversion substitution is a type of point mutation where a purine base is replaced with a pyrimidine base, or vice versa. This mutation can significantly alter the structure and function of DNA.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Transversion substitutions involve the replacement of adenine (A) or guanine (G) with thymine (T) or cytosine (C), or vice versa.
2. They are less common than transition mutations but can have more significant impacts on protein function due to alterations in amino acid sequences.
3. Such substitutions can be induced by various factors, including chemical mutagens and radiation.
4. DNA repair mechanisms such as nucleotide excision repair work to correct these mutations.
5. Transversion mutations can lead to genetic diseases if they occur in coding regions or regulatory elements of genes.

Review Questions

Related terms

Transition Mutation: A type of point mutation where a purine is replaced with another purine or a pyrimidine is replaced with another pyrimidine.

Nucleotide Excision Repair: A DNA repair mechanism that removes bulky lesions, such as thymine dimers, from DNA.

Point Mutation: A genetic alteration where a single nucleotide base pair in the DNA sequence is changed.