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03:54One of the possibilities considered about the genetic code was that the code was overlapping, meaning that a single base could be part of up to three codons. How many amino acids would be encoded in the sequence 5′-AUGUUACGGAAU-3′ by a non-overlapping and a maximally overlapping triplet code?
a. 4 (non-overlapping) and 16 (overlapping)
b. 4 and 12
c. 4 and 10
d. 12 and 4
Skin color is often one of the first traits people notice in each other. Studies in zebrafish uncovered a mutation that altered a transport protein and resulted in light-colored fish. This discovery led to the finding that the same gene in humans has a strong influence on skin pigmentation in many populations. The zebrafish mutation that reduced coloration created a null allele of the transport protein gene. Which of the following types of mutation would be most likely to create this null allele?
a. A missense mutation
b. A frameshift mutation
c. A neutral mutation
d. A silent mutation
Investigators examined the expression of transporter mRNA and protein produced in zebrafish homozygous for each of the alleles and obtained the results summarized here (+=present,−=absent). Does the allele associated with light color appear to be altering transcription ortranslation? Why?
Researchers compared the amino acid sequences of the transport protein in zebrafish, puffer fish, mice, and humans. They found many stretches with identical sequences in all four species. Does this mean that the corresponding mRNA base sequences are also the same in these four species? Explain why or why not.
The allele of the human transport protein associated with lighter skin is found almost exclusively in people with European ancestry. The other common allele for darker skin, which appears to be the ancestral allele, is found in people with African ancestry. What is a plausible explanation for how the lighter-skin allele came to be so common in those with European ancestry?
