A mutation that prevents activators from binding to enhancers would most likely result in:

A mutation that prevents activators from binding to enhancers would most likely result in:

• A. Increased transcription
• B. Decreased transcription
• C. No change
• D. Transcription termination

Answer: (C)

Enhancers and their bound activators boost transcription by helping recruit the transcription machinery to the promoter. If a mutation prevents activators from binding to the enhancer, the enhancer can’t stimulate transcription, so the gene is expressed at a lower level. Basal transcription may still occur, but the overall rate of transcription would decrease because the enhancer’s activating effect is lost. Transcription termination is not directly caused by this change, so it wouldn’t be the expected outcome.

Enhancers and their bound activators boost transcription by helping recruit the transcription machinery to the promoter. If a mutation prevents activators from binding to the enhancer, the enhancer can’t stimulate transcription, so the gene is expressed at a lower level. Basal transcription may still occur, but the overall rate of transcription would decrease because the enhancer’s activating effect is lost. Transcription termination is not directly caused by this change, so it wouldn’t be the expected outcome.