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which type of mutation stops the translation of an mrna molecule

The type of mutation that stops the translation of an mRNA molecule is a nonsense mutation.

Quick Scoop

  • A nonsense mutation changes a normal codon into a stop codon (UAA, UAG, or UGA) in the coding sequence.
  • When the ribosome reaches this new stop codon too early, translation halts and the protein is cut short (truncated).
  • These truncated proteins are often nonfunctional and may be quickly degraded by the cell.

In short: a nonsense mutation introduces a premature stop signal in the mRNA, causing translation to end before the full protein is made.

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