Final answer:
The statement is true; point mutations involving the insertion or deletion of nucleotides (indels) lead to frameshift mutations, which change the reading frame of the genetic code, altering the protein produced.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a point mutation such as an insertion or deletion occurs, it can cause what is known as a frameshift mutation. This is because the genetic code is read in sets of three nucleotides, called codons, which correspond to specific amino acids. Mutations like these do not preserve the triplet grouping of the genetic code, thus changing the reading frame starting from the point of mutation and typically leading to a nonfunctional protein due to incorrect amino acid sequence or premature stop codon. For example, if the initial RNA sequence is AUG-AAU-ACG-GCU, which translates to start-asparagine-threonine-alanine, and there is an insertion of an A nucleotide after the start codon AUG, the sequence then becomes AUG-AAA-UAC-GGC-U, which now translates to start-lysine-tyrosine-glycine. This demonstrates a shift in the reading frame, altering the downstream amino acid sequence. However, if the insertion or deletion of nucleotides is in multiples of three (the size of a codon), the reading frame is preserved post-insertion or deletion. For instance, an insertion of three nucleotides might cause the addition of an extra amino acid but will not disrupt the entire reading frame.