Genetic Recombination Involving Insertion Sequences Typically Results in What Type

Question

Genetic recombination involving insertion sequences typically results in what type of mutation?
A) base-pair substitution mutation
B) silent mutation
C) frameshift mutation
D) base-pair deletion mutation

Accepted Answer

Insertion sequences are mobile genetic elements that can move from one site to another within a genome by the process of transposition. During this process, if an insertion sequence inserts itself within a gene or a coding region, it can disrupt the reading frame of the gene, leading to a frameshift mutation. This type of mutation results in a shift in the reading frame of the mRNA codons and can lead to the production of a truncated and non-functional protein or a completely different protein altogether. Therefore, genetic recombination involving insertion sequences typically results in frameshift mutations.