A mutation causing an addition or a deletion of one base pair resulted in the production of a nonfunctional mutant protein. The sequences of the normal and mutant proteins are given below. Normal: Met - Tyr - His - Glu - Val Mutant: Met - Phe - Thr - Lys - Cys - Lys - Trp - Arg - ...

Was this mutation cause by an insertion or a deletion?

The mutation was caused as a result of deletion of one letter of the codon A from tyrosine leading a shift in the reading frame.

Normal is

Normal - Met - Tyr - His - Glu - Val

Aug - Uac - Cac - Gaa - Gug

When a is removed from Tyrosine codon we have a shift in the reading frame to form a mutant with a new codon and protein.

Mutant - Met - Phe - Thr - Lys - Cys

Aug - Ucc - Acg - Aag - Ugu

Mutation is a sudden change in the genie of an organism that can be heritage by offspring from their parent.