In: Biology
The municipal zoo received a donation of a family of 10 Japanese Macaques, also known as snow monkeys, who were rescued from a smuggler. These primates can live 20+ years in captivity and are popularly captured in images while bathing in hot springs. The zoologist has noticed that several of the individuals have become ill and are exhibiting symptoms similar to multiple sclerosis. Blood tests reveal that all members of the family of snow monkeys have a single nucleotide deletion in a gene that is responsible for formation of many types of glycoproteins.
Compared to normal protein function, explain in 1-2 complete sentences how tertiary protein structure may be impacted by this single nucleotide deletion.
Single deletion of the nucleotide can cause disruption of the amino acid sequence in the protein structure. This happens because of mRNA transcript is read as a three-letter codon and the deletion of the single nucleotide can cause a frame shift in the sequence of amino acid. And the sequence of amino acid decide the secondary structure of protein depending on the interactions and H-bond. And depending on the arrangement of these secondary structures the tertiary structure of the protein is formed.
One example of frame shift happening in the amino acid sequence due to the deletion of single nucleotide is given below:
Original DNA - AAA-CCC-TTT-GGG-GGG- TTT-CCC-TTT-AAA-AAA - etc.
Original mRNA UUU-GGG-AAA-CCC-CCC-AAA-GGG-AAA-UUU-UUU- etc.
Original amino acid sequence - Phe -- Gly-- Lys--Pro--Pro --Lys --Gly --Lys--Phe--Phe--etc.
DNA with single deletion- AAA-CCT- CCC-TTT-AAC-TTT-GGG-GGG-TTA-AAA - etc.
mRNA after single deletion- UUU-GGA-GGG-AAA-UUG-AAA-CCC - CCC - AAU-UUU- etc.
Amino acid sequenceafter single deletion - Phe -- Gly-- Lys--Pro--Leu --Phe --Pro -- Pro--Asn--Phe--etc.