Analyze how a point mutation can affect the overall protein shape and function, using hemoglobin as an example.

A point mutation can be described as a mutation in which changes occur in a single nucleotide. A nucleotide may get changed, deleted or inserted from the sequence of DNA. Point mutations can be harmless or harmful depending on the nucleotide in which the changes occur.

A change in just one nucleotide can result in the formation of wrong amino acid and hence changed or wrong proteins can be formed. If the original protein was involved in cellular reproduction, then the entire process of reproduction can be affected by a point mutation.

Sickle- cell anaemia is a disease in which the body fails to produce enough healthy red blood cells. This disease occurs due to point mutation. Point mutation occurs where glutamine (GAG) of the β-globin gets changed into valine (GUG). This change causes the haemoglobin to get a deformed structure due to which it is not able to carry out oxygen.