Imagine you’re translating a recipe for the world’s most delicious cake from one language to another. But instead of altering the taste or texture of the cake, some of the changes you make actually make it less mouthwatering! That’s what scientists have discovered about ‘silent’ or synonymous genetic mutations. They used to think these mutations were like small spelling mistakes that had no impact. But now they’ve found that many of these silent mutations are actually harmful and can affect the functioning of proteins in our cells. It’s like finding out that changing a single letter in a recipe can ruin the entire dessert! This finding has huge implications for our understanding of genetics and how mutations can shape our health and well-being. By uncovering this hidden danger lurking in our genetic code, scientists can now explore ways to prevent or treat diseases caused by these harmful silent mutations. To learn more about this groundbreaking research, follow the link below!

In the early 1960s scientists deciphered the genetic code of life, determining the rules by which information in DNA molecules is translated into proteins, the working parts of living cells. They identified three-letter units in DNA sequences, known as codons, that specify each of the 20 amino acids that make up proteins. Occasionally, single-letter misspellings in the genetic code, known as point mutations, occur. Point mutations that alter the resulting protein sequences are called nonsynonymous mutations, while those that do not alter protein sequences are called silent or synonymous mutations. Between one-quarter and one-third of point mutations in protein-coding DNA sequences are synonymous. Ever since the genetic code was cracked, those mutations have generally been assumed to be neutral, or nearly so.

Read Full Article (External Site)