Mutations 2

2.1.4

Mutations with neutral effects

If a gene is altered by a change to its base sequence, it becomes another version of the same gene. It is an allele of the gene. It may produce no change to the organism if: 1. The mutation is a non-coding region of the DNA. 2. It is a silent mutation. Although the base triplet has changed, it still codes for the same amino acid, so the protein is unchanged. If the mutation does cause a change t the structure of the protein, but the changed characteristic gives no particular advantage or disadvantage to the organism then the effect is also neutral.

Mutations with harmful or beneficial effects

Early humans in Africa had dark skin. The pigment melanin protected them from the harmful effects of the ultraviolet light. However they could still synthesise vitamin D from the action of the intense sunlight on their skin. Any humans with mutations to genes determining skin colour, producing paler skin, would have burned and got skin cancer. As humans migrated to more temperate climates the sunlight was not intense enough to cause enough vitamin D to be ma by those with darker skin. Humans with mutations causing paler skin would then have advantage over those with dark skin because they would be able to synthesise vitamin D. Vitamin D protects from cancer and heart disease. Depending on the environment the same mutation for paler skin can be harmful or beneficial.