Multiple Choice
A frameshift mutation could result from which of the following genetic changes?
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17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination
Types of Mutations
Multiple Choice
In the context of types of mutations, can a genetic mutation be beneficial to an organism?
A
Yes; some mutations increase an organism’s fitness in a particular environment and can be favored by natural selection.
B
No; mutations are always harmful because they always disrupt gene function.
C
No; mutations are always neutral and never affect phenotype or fitness.
D
Only if the mutation occurs in somatic (non-reproductive) cells, because those are the only mutations that can improve fitness.
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand what a genetic mutation is — a change in the DNA sequence that can affect gene function and potentially alter an organism's traits (phenotype).
Step 2: Recognize the different types of mutations: beneficial, neutral, and harmful. Beneficial mutations can improve an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment.
Step 3: Consider the role of natural selection, which favors mutations that increase an organism's fitness, meaning its ability to survive and reproduce.
Step 4: Note that mutations in germline cells (reproductive cells) can be passed to offspring and influence evolution, while somatic mutations affect only the individual and are not inherited.
Step 5: Conclude that some mutations can indeed be beneficial, increasing fitness and being favored by natural selection, while others can be neutral or harmful.
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