How Can a Mutation in a Tumor-Suppressor Gene Behave as a Recessive

question 13

Multiple Choice

How can a mutation in a tumor-suppressor gene behave as a recessive allele at the cellular level, but appear as a dominant allele in pedigree analysis?

• A)Some functional protein can still be produced in a cell heterozygous for a loss-of-function allele; however, an additional mutation can inactivate the second allele, eliminating all functional protein allowing cancer to occur in many family members.
• B)A single functional allele is sufficient to regulate the cell cycle, but not sufficient to promote apoptosis, allowing cancer to develop in every generation.
• C)A cell with half the amount of the functional tumor-suppressor protein can form benign tumors that will occur in every generation in the pedigree.
• D)Some functional protein can still be produced in a cell heterozygous for a loss-of-function allele; but loss-of-function tumor-suppressor alleles are so common in the population that many individuals are homozygous.

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Lexan

A brand name for polycarbonate, a durable plastic used in bullet-proof glass and various consumer products.

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A durable, tough type of plastic widely used in manufacturing various products, known for its transparency and high impact resistance.