Suppose That an Induced Mutation Removes Most of the 5

Question

Suppose that an induced mutation removes most of the 5' end of the 5' UTR. What might result?
A) Removal of the 5' UTR has no effect because the exons are still maintained.
B) Removal of the 5' UTR also removes the 5' cap and the mRNA will quickly degrade.
C) The 3' UTR will duplicate and one copy will replace the 5' end.
D) The first exon will not be read because I₁ will now serve as the UTR.
E) Removal of the 5' UTR will result in the strand not binding to tRNAs.

Accepted Answer

The 5' UTR contains the 5' cap, which is essential for stabilizing the mRNA and facilitating its translation. Without the cap, the mRNA is likely to degrade rapidly.