Which mutation type causes a complete shift in the reading frame of the genetic code?

A frameshift mutation is a type of genetic mutation that results from the addition or deletion of nucleotides in a DNA sequence, which is not in multiples of three. This change causes the entire reading frame of the genetic code to shift, altering how subsequent codons are read during translation.

As a result of this shift, all amino acids encoded downstream of the mutation can be changed, potentially leading to the production of a completely different protein, or even a premature stop codon, which can result in truncated proteins. The severity of frameshift mutations is often high, as they can affect protein synthesis significantly.

Other mutation types, such as silent mutations and point mutations, do not cause a shift in the reading frame. Silent mutations may change the nucleotide sequence but result in the same amino acid due to the redundancy of the genetic code. Point mutations involve a change in a single nucleotide but typically do not alter the reading frame unless they are specifically leading to insertions or deletions that are not multiples of three. Translocation mutations involve rearrangements of segments of DNA but do not inherently cause a frameshift in the reading frame of the specific gene unless they also involve insertions or deletions.

Therefore, the correct understanding of a frameshift mutation is crucial