Do mutations occur in mRNA?

By SWA

Genetic mutations that cause hereditary diseases usually affect the composition of the transcribed mRNA and its encoded protein, leading to instability of the mRNA and/or the protein. Sometimes, however, such mutations affect the synthesis, the processing or the translation of the mRNA, with similar disastrous effects.

Genetic mutations that lead to hereditary diseases typically occur in DNA, not in mRNA. However, the effects of these DNA mutations are often observed in the mRNA and the proteins they encode. Here's how this works:

Location of Mutations

  • DNA Mutations: Hereditary mutations are changes in the DNA sequence. These mutations can be inherited from parents or occur during life due to various factors like environmental influences or errors during cell division.
  • mRNA: mRNA is a copy of the DNA sequence used for protein synthesis. It doesn't undergo mutations itself; instead, it reflects the mutations that have occurred in the DNA.

Effects of DNA Mutations on mRNA and Protein

  1. Composition of mRNA: A mutation in DNA can alter the nucleotide sequence transcribed into mRNA. This alteration can lead to changes in the protein's amino acid sequence, affecting its structure and function.

  2. Instability of mRNA and Protein: Certain mutations can make mRNA or the protein it encodes unstable. For example, nonsense mutations can introduce a premature stop codon, leading to a truncated, unstable protein.

  3. Synthesis of mRNA: Mutations can affect the regulatory regions of a gene (like promoters or enhancers), impacting the rate of mRNA synthesis.

  4. Processing of mRNA: Some mutations can affect mRNA splicing, which involves the removal of introns and joining of exons. Mutations at splice sites can lead to incorrectly spliced mRNA, creating a dysfunctional protein.

  5. Translation of mRNA: Mutations can also impact translation, the process by which ribosomes read mRNA to build proteins. For example, a mutation might alter the ribosome binding site, affecting the initiation of translation.

Summary

  • Genetic mutations occur in DNA, not in mRNA.
  • These mutations can alter the sequence of mRNA transcribed from DNA, affecting the resulting protein's structure and function.
  • Mutations can affect various stages of gene expression, including mRNA synthesis, processing, and translation.

Key Point

While mRNA doesn't mutate itself, it is a crucial intermediary in expressing genetic information. Changes in the DNA sequence due to mutations are faithfully transcribed into mRNA, which can profoundly impact protein synthesis and function, leading to various hereditary diseases.

 

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