Nonsense mutation
Encyclopedia
In genetics
, a nonsense mutation is a point mutation
in a sequence
of DNA
that results in a premature stop codon
, or a nonsense codon in the transcribed
mRNA, and in a truncated
, incomplete, and usually nonfunctional protein
product. It differs from a missense mutation
, which is a point mutation where a double nucleotide is changed to cause substitution of a different amino acid
. Some genetic disorder
s, such as thalassemia
and DMD
, result from nonsense mutations.
3' - TAC TGA GTG GCT CGC GCT TCG ACT - 5'
mRNA: 5' - AUG ACU CAC CGA GCG CGA AGC UGA - 3'
Protein: Met
Thr
His
Arg
Ala
Arg
Ser
Stop
Suppose that a nonsense mutation was introduced at the fourth triplet in the DNA sequence (CGA) causing the cytosine
to be replaced with thymine
, yielding TGA in the DNA sequence. Since TGA is transcribed-then-translated as UGA, the resulting transcript and protein product would be:
DNA: 5' - ATG ACT CAC TGA GCG CGA AGC TGA - 3'
3' - TAC TGA GTG ACT CGC GCT TCG ACT - 5'
mRNA: 5' - AUG ACU CAC UGA GCG CGU AGC UGA - 3'
Protein: Met
Thr
His
Stop
The remaining codons of the mRNA are not translated into amino proteins because the stop codon is prematurely reached during translation. This can yield a truncated abbreviated protein product, which quite often lacks the functionality of the normal, non-mutant protein.
-- employ a nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway, which degrades mRNAs containing nonsense mutations before they are translated into nonfunctional polypeptides.
Nonsense mutations can cause a genetic disease by damaging a gene responsible for a specific protein, for example, dystrophin
in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
. The same disease may, however, be caused by other kinds of damage to the same gene. Examples of diseases in which nonsense mutations are known to be among the causes include:
An experimental drug known as PTC124
may be useful in treating some cases of each of the above diseases (that is, the cases caused by a nonsense mutation). PTC124 was scheduled to enter the final phase of clinical trials in 2007.
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
, a nonsense mutation is a point mutation
Point mutation
A point mutation, or single base substitution, is a type of mutation that causes the replacement of a single base nucleotide with another nucleotide of the genetic material, DNA or RNA. Often the term point mutation also includes insertions or deletions of a single base pair...
in a sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
of DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
that results in a premature stop codon
Stop codon
In the genetic code, a stop codon is a nucleotide triplet within messenger RNA that signals a termination of translation. Proteins are based on polypeptides, which are unique sequences of amino acids. Most codons in messenger RNA correspond to the addition of an amino acid to a growing polypeptide...
, or a nonsense codon in the transcribed
Transcription (genetics)
Transcription is the process of creating a complementary RNA copy of a sequence of DNA. Both RNA and DNA are nucleic acids, which use base pairs of nucleotides as a complementary language that can be converted back and forth from DNA to RNA by the action of the correct enzymes...
mRNA, and in a truncated
Truncation
In mathematics and computer science, truncation is the term for limiting the number of digits right of the decimal point, by discarding the least significant ones.For example, consider the real numbersThe result would be:- Truncation and floor function :...
, incomplete, and usually nonfunctional protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
product. It differs from a missense mutation
Missense mutation
In genetics, a missense mutation is a point mutation in which a single nucleotide is changed, resulting in a codon that codes for a different amino acid . This can render the resulting protein nonfunctional...
, which is a point mutation where a double nucleotide is changed to cause substitution of a different amino acid
Amino acid
Amino acids are molecules containing an amine group, a carboxylic acid group and a side-chain that varies between different amino acids. The key elements of an amino acid are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen...
. Some genetic disorder
Genetic disorder
A genetic disorder is an illness caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes, especially a condition that is present from before birth. Most genetic disorders are quite rare and affect one person in every several thousands or millions....
s, such as thalassemia
Thalassemia
Thalassemia is an inherited autosomal recessive blood disease that originated in the Mediterranean region. In thalassemia the genetic defect, which could be either mutation or deletion, results in reduced rate of synthesis or no synthesis of one of the globin chains that make up hemoglobin...
and DMD
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a recessive X-linked form of muscular dystrophy, which results in muscle degeneration, difficulty walking, breathing, and death. The incidence is 1 in 3,000 boys. Females and males are affected, though females are rarely affected and are more often carriers...
, result from nonsense mutations.
Simple example
DNA: 5' - ATG ACT CAC CGA GCG CGA AGC TGA - 3'shut3' - TAC TGA GTG GCT CGC GCT TCG ACT - 5'
mRNA: 5' - AUG ACU CAC CGA GCG CGA AGC UGA - 3'
Protein: Met
Methionine
Methionine is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCHCH2CH2SCH3. This essential amino acid is classified as nonpolar. This amino-acid is coded by the codon AUG, also known as the initiation codon, since it indicates mRNA's coding region where translation into protein...
Thr
Threonine
Threonine is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCHCHCH3. Its codons are ACU, ACA, ACC, and ACG. This essential amino acid is classified as polar...
His
Histidine
Histidine Histidine, an essential amino acid, has a positively charged imidazole functional group. It is one of the 22 proteinogenic amino acids. Its codons are CAU and CAC. Histidine was first isolated by German physician Albrecht Kossel in 1896. Histidine is an essential amino acid in humans...
Arg
Arginine
Arginine is an α-amino acid. The L-form is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids. At the level of molecular genetics, in the structure of the messenger ribonucleic acid mRNA, CGU, CGC, CGA, CGG, AGA, and AGG, are the triplets of nucleotide bases or codons that codify for arginine during...
Ala
Alanine
Alanine is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula CH3CHCOOH. The L-isomer is one of the 20 amino acids encoded by the genetic code. Its codons are GCU, GCC, GCA, and GCG. It is classified as a nonpolar amino acid...
Arg
Arginine
Arginine is an α-amino acid. The L-form is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids. At the level of molecular genetics, in the structure of the messenger ribonucleic acid mRNA, CGU, CGC, CGA, CGG, AGA, and AGG, are the triplets of nucleotide bases or codons that codify for arginine during...
Ser
Serine
Serine is an amino acid with the formula HO2CCHCH2OH. It is one of the proteinogenic amino acids. By virtue of the hydroxyl group, serine is classified as a polar amino acid.-Occurrence and biosynthesis:...
Stop
Suppose that a nonsense mutation was introduced at the fourth triplet in the DNA sequence (CGA) causing the cytosine
Cytosine
Cytosine is one of the four main bases found in DNA and RNA, along with adenine, guanine, and thymine . It is a pyrimidine derivative, with a heterocyclic aromatic ring and two substituents attached . The nucleoside of cytosine is cytidine...
to be replaced with thymine
Thymine
Thymine is one of the four nucleobases in the nucleic acid of DNA that are represented by the letters G–C–A–T. The others are adenine, guanine, and cytosine. Thymine is also known as 5-methyluracil, a pyrimidine nucleobase. As the name suggests, thymine may be derived by methylation of uracil at...
, yielding TGA in the DNA sequence. Since TGA is transcribed-then-translated as UGA, the resulting transcript and protein product would be:
DNA: 5' - ATG ACT CAC TGA GCG CGA AGC TGA - 3'
3' - TAC TGA GTG ACT CGC GCT TCG ACT - 5'
mRNA: 5' - AUG ACU CAC UGA GCG CGU AGC UGA - 3'
Protein: Met
Methionine
Methionine is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCHCH2CH2SCH3. This essential amino acid is classified as nonpolar. This amino-acid is coded by the codon AUG, also known as the initiation codon, since it indicates mRNA's coding region where translation into protein...
Thr
Threonine
Threonine is an α-amino acid with the chemical formula HO2CCHCHCH3. Its codons are ACU, ACA, ACC, and ACG. This essential amino acid is classified as polar...
His
Histidine
Histidine Histidine, an essential amino acid, has a positively charged imidazole functional group. It is one of the 22 proteinogenic amino acids. Its codons are CAU and CAC. Histidine was first isolated by German physician Albrecht Kossel in 1896. Histidine is an essential amino acid in humans...
Stop
The remaining codons of the mRNA are not translated into amino proteins because the stop codon is prematurely reached during translation. This can yield a truncated abbreviated protein product, which quite often lacks the functionality of the normal, non-mutant protein.
Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay
Despite an expected tendency for premature termination codons to yield shortened polypeptide products, in fact the formation of truncated proteins does not occur often in vivo. Many organisms—including humans and lower species, such as yeastYeast
Yeasts are eukaryotic micro-organisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with 1,500 species currently described estimated to be only 1% of all fungal species. Most reproduce asexually by mitosis, and many do so by an asymmetric division process called budding...
-- employ a nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway, which degrades mRNAs containing nonsense mutations before they are translated into nonfunctional polypeptides.
Pathology associated with nonsense mutations
Dystrophin
Dystrophin is a rod-shaped cytoplasmic protein, and a vital part of a protein complex that connects the cytoskeleton of a muscle fiber to the surrounding extracellular matrix through the cell membrane. This complex is variously known as the costamere or the dystrophin-associated protein complex...
in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a recessive X-linked form of muscular dystrophy, which results in muscle degeneration, difficulty walking, breathing, and death. The incidence is 1 in 3,000 boys. Females and males are affected, though females are rarely affected and are more often carriers...
. The same disease may, however, be caused by other kinds of damage to the same gene. Examples of diseases in which nonsense mutations are known to be among the causes include:
- Cystic fibrosisCystic fibrosisCystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
(caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulatorCystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulatorCystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator is a protein that in humans is encoded by the CFTR gene.CFTR is a ABC transporter-class ion channel that transports chloride and thiocyanate ions across epithelial cell membranes...
gene).
- Duchenne muscular dystrophyDuchenne muscular dystrophyDuchenne muscular dystrophy is a recessive X-linked form of muscular dystrophy, which results in muscle degeneration, difficulty walking, breathing, and death. The incidence is 1 in 3,000 boys. Females and males are affected, though females are rarely affected and are more often carriers...
(dystrophin)
- Beta thalassaemia (β-globin)
- Hurler syndromeHurler syndromeHurler syndrome, also known as mucopolysaccharidosis type I , Hurler's disease, also gargoylism, is a genetic disorder that results in the buildup of glycosaminoglycans due to a deficiency of alpha-L iduronidase, an enzyme responsible for the degradation of mucopolysaccharides in lysosomes...
An experimental drug known as PTC124
PTC124
Ataluren, formerly known as PTC124, is a novel small-molecular agent designed to make ribosomes become less sensitive to, or possibly ignore premature stop codons. This may be particularly beneficial in genetic disorders where the mRNA contains a mutation causing premature stop codon or nonsense...
may be useful in treating some cases of each of the above diseases (that is, the cases caused by a nonsense mutation). PTC124 was scheduled to enter the final phase of clinical trials in 2007.
External links and references
- Mutations
- Nonsense mutation (Medical dictionary)
- Gatfield D, Unterholzner L, Ciccarelli FD, Bork P, Izaurralde E., "Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay in Drosophila: at the intersection of the yeast and mammalian pathways". EMBO J. 2003 Aug 1;22(15):3960-70. PMID 12881430
- Welch EM, et al., "PTC124 targets genetic disorders caused by nonsense mutations", Nature 447, 87-91 (3 May 2007) (DOI: 10.1038/nature05756 PMID 17450125)