Biology 234

Extra Week 3 problem

Old Tutorial Quiz/Exam Question ( Suggested Time: 15 min)


Below is the structure of the gene flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) from the
flower Antirrhinum majus. The protein coded by this gene is an enzyme
involved in synthesizing red pigment.
This gene is expressed in flower petal cells just prior to the opening of the
flowers. Due to the level of transcription, once the flowers open, wild-type
flowers are pink . **Note that the gene does not code for pigment, it codes for an
enzyme that synthesizes pigment.
Creative commons image

Various mutations in this gene are known:
A: an insertion of 2 base pairs found in the regulatory region. Plants homozygous for this
mutation are dark red.
B: a deletion of 10 bp in the second exon. Plants homozygous for this mutation are white.
C: a base substitution at the 5’ splice site of the first intron.

a) Explain what you think the most likely consequences of these three mutations are, and why
you think it results in the above described phenotypes, at the level of mRNA, protein, enzyme
activity :
i) the mRNA, (0.5 marks for phenotype, 0.5 for reason)
ii) the protein, (size and amount) (0.5 marks for phenotype, 0.5 marks for reason)
iii) enzyme activity (0.5 marks for phenotype, 0.5 marks for reason)

Mutation mRNA Protein Enzyme activity
A: an insertion of 2
base pairs found in
the regulatory
region. Plants
homozygous for
this mutation are
dark red.
B: a deletion of 10 bp
in the second exon.
Plants homozygous
for this mutation are
white.




 Biology 234
Extra Week 3 problem
C: a base
substitution at the
5’ splice site of the
first intron.







b) Suggest what colour flowers would occur for a heterozygote that has one copy of mutation A
and one copy of mutation B. Explain your reasoning.








c) Suggest what colour flowers would occur for a heterozygote that has one copy of mutation A
and one copy of mutation C. Explain your reasoning.