Question

If you mutated one base pair in a restriction site, how would the banding pattern change on a gel? Please describe?

Answer 1

Restriction sites are the specific (4-8 bp) sequence of nucleotides located on a DNA molecule which is recognised by the restriction enzymes. A particular restriction enzyme may cleave the DNA between two nucleotides within its restriction sites.

E.g., EcoR1 recognises the GAATTC and cuts in between the G and A on both strands. If we mutate the GAATTC to GTATTC will eliminates the restriction site for the EcoR1. The loss of restriction site would results in replacement of two small bands by single large band on the gel.