The blots are as follows, explanations are below:

a) Southern: The probe can hybridize with all the EcoRI fragments in the above map. The fragments are (from left to right): 1.1kbp, 0.8kbp, 0.7kbp, and 3.9kbp.

Northern: The predicted mRNA is 2.2 knt long = exon 1 (1.2 knt) + exon 2 (1.0 knt). (knt = kilonucleotides)

Western: The protein is 50kDa.

b) Southern: The 1.1kbp EcoRI fragment will become 0.2 kbp shorter = 0.9 kbp. All other bands will remain the same.

Northern: This mutation partially inactivates the promoter, so Q mRNA levels are 20% of wild-type. Because the promoter has not moved, transcription will start in the same place, so the Q mRNA will be the same size, but a lower quantity. This will result in a less intense band on the Northern (a lighter band of the same size).

Western: Because the Q mRNA is normal length, the resulting Q protein will be 50kDa, but since there is less mRNA, there will be less protein, resulting in a less intense band.

c) Southern: Unless this mutation were to convert a sequence into a new EcoRI site, the EcoRI restriction map will not change. Since we did not say that a new EcoRI site say that a new EcoRI site was created, there will be no change.

Northern: RNA polymerase cannot read codons, so it cannot tell that there has been a mutation, so the Q mRNA size will be the same.

Western: The nonsense mutation will result in premature termination of translation, resulting in a substantially smaller protein product. Roughly 300nt of mRNA will be translated = 100 codons = roughly 11.5 kDa (1 amino acid is roughly 115 Da).

d) Southern: Since EcoRI cannot cut at 2.6 kbp, the 0.7kbp and 3.9kbp fragments will be joined together into a 4.6 kbp fragment. All others will be the same.

Northern: the Q mRNA size and quantity will be unchanged (see c).

Western: A single amino acid change in a 50kDa protein is unlikely to make a noticeable change in its molecular weight.

e) Southern: The 0.7 kbp fragment will be shortened by 0.5 kbp to 0.2 kbp. All other fragments will be the same.

Northern: Since the deletion is entirely within an exon, the Q mRNA will be shortened by the same amount as the DNA.

Western: This mutation will delete the ATG codon, preventing translation initiation at the normal site. Most likely, this will result in no protein being synthesized. Translation could start at another AUG, but any protein made will likely be read in another reading frame and not have the same antigenic sites as protein Q and therefore not bind the anti-Q antibody.