Question

Sickle cell anemia illustrated in the picture below is the result of a mutation. What is the likely cause of this genetic mutation?

Answer 1

There's no picture.

Sickle cell anemia results from a mutation in a gene called HBB, which contains the blueprint for cells to make part of a protein called hemoglobin. The hemoglobin protein is made up of two alpha chains and two beta chains.

Sickle cell anemia is the result of a point mutation, a change in just one nucleotide in the gene for hemoglobin. This mutation causes the hemoglobin in red blood cells to distort to a sickle shape when deoxygenated. The sickle-shaped blood cells clog in the capillaries, cutting off circulation.