What is the consequence of having poorly defined start and stop codons?

Having poorly defined start and stop codons can lead to a frameshift mutation. Start and stop codons are essential for the proper translation of mRNA into proteins. The start codon (typically AUG) signals the beginning of translation, while the stop codon (such as UAA, UAG, or UGA) indicates where translation should end.

When these codons are not well-defined, ribosomes may incorrectly initiate or terminate protein synthesis. This can cause the ribosome to read the mRNA sequence out of its intended reading frame, altering the triplet codon arrangement. As a result, the entire amino acid sequence downstream may be changed, potentially producing a nonfunctional or dysfunctional protein. This alteration can lead to significant cellular consequences and may disrupt normal biological processes, ultimately affecting the organism's function and health.