Insertion or deletion of a single base causes

Options

A. inversion mutation
B. transition mutation
C. frame-shift mutation
D. transversion mutation

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Insertion and Deletion**:
- Insertion refers to adding an extra base pair into a DNA sequence.
- Deletion refers to removing a base pair from a DNA sequence.

2. **Example Sequence**:
- Consider a sequence: "RAMHASCAP".
- In this sequence, each group of letters can represent a codon or a word.

3. **Effect of Insertion**:
- If we insert a base (let's say 'B') into the sequence, it might look like this: "RABMHASCAP".
- The first "word" (or codon) has changed from "RAM" to "RAB", which alters its meaning.
- However, the subsequent "words" (or codons) may remain unchanged in their meaning.

4. **Effect of Deletion**:
- If we delete a base (for example, 'M'), the sequence becomes "RAHASCAP".
- Again, the first "word" has changed, but the meanings of the second and third words may remain the same.

5. **Conclusion on Mutation Type**:
- Both insertion and deletion cause a change in the sequence starting from the point of mutation, which leads to a shift in the reading frame.
- This type of mutation is known as a **frameshift mutation** because it alters the way the sequence is read, affecting all subsequent codons.

6. **Final Answer**:
- The insertion or deletion of a single base causes a **frameshift mutation**.