Question

In your lab you are studying the genome of venomous rattlesnakes to find the gene which codes for their venom glands. You have two
rattlesnakes, one rattlesnake has a mutation but can still produce venom. You compare his DNA to a normal rattlesnake. What type of
mutation has occurred?
Normal: AATCGCTACGCACGTCAG
Mutated: TATCGCTACGCACGTCAG
A. Deletion Mutation
B. Nonsense mutation
C. Silent Mutation
D. Missense mutation

Answer 1

Answer is B silent mutation

Answer 2

It is actually a mis-sense mutation.
ATA on DNA is UAU on mRNA. This codon has the amino acid ‘Leu’
TAT on DNA is AUA on mRNA. This codon has the amino acid ‘Ile’
A silent mutation means that the amino acid is not changed. This is a missense mutation because the amino acid is changed but the snake is still able to produce venom.