Tumour suppressor gene

Practice Question Solving
1

A mutation of a tumour suppressor gene (TSG) can result in the formation of a tumour.
Why is this the case?

A. The TSG is unable to slow down cell division as the mutation causes it to turn into an enzyme which speeds up the rate of cell division.
B. The TSG’s mutation causes it to instruct cells to increase at a rapid rate.
C. The TSG is inactivated therefore cell division increases out of control.
D. The TSG becomes inactive resulting in increased progesterone levels and increasing cell growth and division.
E. The TSG becomes inactive resulting in increased testosterone levels and increasing cell growth and division.
Correct c

2

Hi Ibraheem,

the tumour suppressor gene (TSG) produces a protein that suppresses or prevents the formation of a tumour. Thus, a mutation in the gene can cause a faulty mRNA to be transcribed and inactive protein to be translated, which no longer functions as it should - does not suppress the tumour formation.

Tumour generally occurs when cell division of specific cells goes out of control, so it is probable that due to inactive protein TSG, the cell division cannot be controlled (goes out of control).

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