A bone tumor sample appears to be heterozygous for a p53 mutation.The most likely explanation for this finding is:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the tumor sample is heterozygous for a p53 mutation, this means that only one allele has the mutation while the other allele is normal. If the mutated p53 protein is dominant negative, it means that it interferes with the function of the normal p53 protein, thereby having a greater impact on the overall function of p53. This could lead to an increased risk of developing cancer as p53 is a tumor suppressor protein. Option A is incorrect because p53 is not an oncogene but rather a tumor suppressor gene. Option C is unlikely because if the mutation resulted in a premature stop codon, it would most likely result in a truncated protein, and a functional protein could still be made from the normal allele. Option D is also incorrect because p53 mutations can occur in tumors, and not all tumors necessarily lack p53.

A Bone Tumor Sample Appears to Be Heterozygous for a P53