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Multiple Choice
What does it mean that some mutations can be neutral?
A
They always result in beneficial traits for the organism.
B
They cause harmful effects that reduce the organism's survival.
C
They are mutations that only occur in non-coding regions of DNA.
D
They do not affect the organism's phenotype or fitness.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the concept of mutations: Mutations are changes in the DNA sequence of an organism. These changes can occur due to errors during DNA replication, exposure to mutagens, or other factors.
Learn about the types of mutations: Mutations can be classified as beneficial, harmful, or neutral based on their impact on the organism's phenotype (observable traits) and fitness (ability to survive and reproduce).
Define neutral mutations: Neutral mutations are changes in the DNA sequence that do not affect the organism's phenotype or fitness. This means they neither provide an advantage nor cause harm to the organism.
Explore why neutral mutations occur: Neutral mutations often occur in non-coding regions of DNA (regions that do not code for proteins) or result in changes that do not alter the function of the protein produced. For example, a mutation might change a codon but still code for the same amino acid due to the redundancy of the genetic code.
Understand the significance of neutral mutations: Neutral mutations can accumulate over time and contribute to genetic diversity within a population. They are important in evolutionary biology for studying genetic drift and molecular evolution.