What Is the Difference Between Missense and Nonsense Mutation?

Nonsense mutation: changes an amino acid to a STOP codon, resulting in premature termination of translation. Missense mutation: changes an amino acid to another amino acid.

What type of mutation is nonsense?

A nonsense mutation, or its synonym, a stop mutation, is a change in DNA that causes a protein to terminate or end its translation earlier than expected. This is a common form of mutation in humans and in other animals that causes a shortened or nonfunctional protein to be expressed. Leslie G. Biesecker, M.D.

What is an example of nonsense mutation?

Examples of diseases in which nonsense mutations are known to be among the causes include: Cystic fibrosis (caused by the G542X mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Beta thalassaemia (β-globin) Hurler syndrome.

James H. Sterling

James H. Sterling

Environmental Science & Climate Journalist

James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.