Understand the effects of mutations
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Middle School Life Science › Understand the effects of mutations
Which of the following statements about mutations is FALSE?
A mutation is a disadvantage.
A mutation happens by chance.
Mutations are sometimes inheritable.
Specific mutations can become more common through natural selection.
Explanation
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Which of these would most likely cause a mutation?
the insertion of a nucleotide into DNA
the placement of ribosomes within the endoplasmic reticulum
transcription of RNA in the nucleus
the release of messenger RNA from DNA
Explanation
The answer is "the insertion of a nucleotide into DNA."
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.
Which of the following is NOT a kind of mutation?
transformation
deletion
insertion
duplication
Explanation
The answer is "transformation."
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.
A disease in humans is caused by a change in one codon in a gene from GAA to GUA. This disease is caused by:
a mutation
crossing over
polyploidy
a meiosis error
Explanation
The answer is "a mutation."
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.
Why do mutations occur?
all of these
by random chance during replication
through contact with chemicals
mutagens in the environment
Explanation
The answer is "all of these." Mutations can happen spontaneously during replication, or by contact with chemicals in the environment called mutagens.
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.
Mutations in DNA are:
natural processes that affect genetic diversity
natural processes that always change phenotype
unnatural processes that only change genotype
unnatural processes that harm genetic diversity
Explanation
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.
Where in this diagram does a point mutation occur?
at one or a few nucleotides in a gene sequence
across an entire gene sequence
throughout the chromosome
throughout the genome
Explanation
The answer is "at one or a few nucelotides in a gene sequence" because point mutations are small changes in a few nucleotides that can shift the effects of an entire gene sequence.
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.
A mutation in which of these types of cells could be passed to an organism's offspring?
an egg cell
a nerve cell
a muscle cell
a brain cell
Explanation
The answer is "an egg cell"
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.
What would happen if the section of DNA pictured was accidentally deleted during the process of replication?
a "deletion" type of mutation would occur
the resulting organism would die because it wouldn't have enough DNA
the resulting organism would be harmed
an "inversion" type of mutation would occur
Explanation
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.
During DNA replication, the wrong nucleotide was inserted into the DNA sequence. Which of the following best describes this situation?
a mutation
transcription
regeneration
translation
Explanation
The answer is "a mutation."
A mutation is a genetic variation that happens by chance. A mutation is not necessarily good or bad. Some mutations are harmful, and end up causing the organism to die sooner than its counterparts. Some mutations have no effect on an organism at all. Other mutations that are inheritable and beneficial, have the potential to become standard in a population. Through the process of natural selection, more individuals with beneficial mutations will survive than those without it, and it will lead to an increase in the expression of those certain traits. This is ultimately how evolution occurs.
Some types of mutations:
Deletion: When a segment of DNA is lost, so there is a missing segment in the chromosome. These usually result in many genes missing from the chromosome.
Duplication: When a segment of DNA is repeated, creating a longer chromosome. These usually result in multiple copies of genes in the chromosome.
Inversion: When a segment of DNA is flipped and then reattached to the same chromosome.
Insertion: When a segment of DNA from one chromosome is added to another, unrelated chromosome.
Translocation: When two segments from different chromosomes change positions.