What Are the Consequences of Chemical-Induced Mutations?
Chemical-induced mutations can have various consequences, ranging from benign to severe:
Silent mutations: These mutations do not affect the protein function and are usually harmless. Missense mutations: These result in the incorporation of incorrect amino acids, potentially leading to dysfunctional proteins. Nonsense mutations: These create premature stop codons, leading to truncated and nonfunctional proteins. Frameshift mutations: Insertions or deletions of nucleotides can shift the reading frame, drastically altering the protein structure. Carcinogenesis: Many chemical-induced mutations are linked to cancer, as they can activate oncogenes or deactivate tumor suppressor genes.
