Which type of mutation can lead to a frameshift by removing a nucleotide from the sequence?

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A deletion mutation involves the removal of one or more nucleotides from the DNA sequence. When a nucleotide is deleted, it alters the reading frame of the genetic code during the process of translation. Since the genetic code is read in groups of three nucleotides (codons), removing a nucleotide shifts the downstream sequence, potentially changing every amino acid that follows the mutation. This can have significant consequences on the resulting protein, often leading to loss of function or the creation of a dysfunctional protein.

In contrast, insertion mutations add one or more nucleotides into the sequence, which can also cause a frameshift but in the opposite manner. Substitution mutations involve replacing one nucleotide with another without changing the overall length of the sequence or causing a frameshift. A nonsense mutation refers to a specific type of substitution that creates a premature stop codon, terminating translation early but does not specifically tie to the concept of frameshifts caused by deletions. Thus, the type of mutation that directly leads to a frameshift through the removal of a nucleotide is indeed a deletion.

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