What Types of Point Mutations Are Involved in Cancer?
There are several types of point mutations that can contribute to cancer development:
- Missense mutations: These mutations result in the substitution of one amino acid for another in a protein. This can alter the protein's function, potentially leading to cancer. For instance, a missense mutation in the BRAF gene is common in melanoma. - Nonsense mutations: These result in a premature stop codon, leading to truncated, non-functional proteins. A nonsense mutation in the APC gene is associated with colorectal cancer. - Silent mutations: Although these mutations do not change the amino acid sequence of a protein, they can still affect cancer development by altering mRNA stability or splicing.
