A mutation in a gene would               cause a change in the sequence of amino acids in a protein.Multiple Choiceneversometimesalways

Breakdown the Problem

1. Understanding Mutations: A mutation in a gene refers to any change in the DNA sequence of that gene.
2. Protein Synthesis Context: Proteins are synthesized based on the sequence of nucleotides in a gene. This sequence determines the sequence of amino acids in the resulting protein.

Relevant Concepts

1. Genetic Code: The genetic code consists of codons, which are sequences of three nucleotides that correspond to specific amino acids.
2. Types of Mutations:
   • Missense mutation: Changes one amino acid in the protein.
   • Nonsense mutation: Results in a premature stop codon.
   • Silent mutation: Doesn't change the amino acid due to redundancy in the genetic code.

Analysis and Detail

1. If a mutation occurs:

   • It may directly change the amino acid sequence if it alters the codon corresponding to a specific amino acid.
   • However, if the mutation is silent or in a non-coding region, it might not affect the protein sequence.

2. Considering all possible types of mutations and their effects, it is clear that most mutations will have some impact on the protein, either directly or indirectly.

Verify and Summarize

1. Answer Choice Analysis:
   • Never: Incorrect, as mutations typically affect protein sequences.
   • Sometimes: This is a valid choice considering silent mutations but does not encompass all scenarios.
   • Always: Most mutations will lead to a change in protein sequence.

Final Answer

Always. A mutation in a gene will typically cause a change in the sequence of amino acids in a protein.