This puzzle contains names, terms and acronyms used to describe the physical causes and genetic results of mutation. Find these thirty one terms and correctly transfer them to the blanks organized below. Then use the remaining letters to complete the sentence describing the importance of this process. Your success will be rewarded. Good hunting! You can also send me comments or suggestions, or return to my home page.

DNA changes can be either S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ or I _ _ _ _ _ _ in the lab. For example, a, b and _ rays from R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ are C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . T _ _ _ _ _ _ D _ _ _ _ _ result from _ _ R _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. A single B _ _ _ T _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ or T _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ can be caused by a natural T _ _ _ _ _ _ _, _ _ S alkylation or a base analogue like B _ _ _ . They produce S _ _ _ _ _ , M _ _ _ _ _ _ _ or N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ phenotypes when expressed. A _ _ _ _ _ _ _
D _ _ _ make cells add extra bases into their _ _ _ . I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ or D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of a base causes a F _ _ _ _S _ _ _ _ . Reversing part of a sequence is an I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . Some MUTATIONs are C _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ L _ _ _ _ _ since they kill only in certain environments. Major damage, for example by _ -rays, induces _ _ _ repair which ironically is mutagenic.

Use the remaining letters to fill in the sentence below:
_ _ _ _ _   _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _  _ _  _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _.

© Terry L. Helser, 1998
Professor of Chemistry
S.U.N.Y. College at
Oneonta, NY 13820-4015

Go to the top of the page, or return to my home page?

If you have questions or comments, write the:

  Author of this page: Terry Helser - helsertl@oneonta.edu
  Web Coordinator: Steve Maniscalco - maniscsj@oneonta.edu
Or return to the SUNY @ Oneonta Home Page to see where we live and work.
  Last Modified on 8/1/99