Multiple Choice
Which of the following is NOT a type of genetic mutation?
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17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination
Types of Mutations
Multiple Choice
In genetics, which type of mutation occurs only in gametes and can therefore be passed to offspring?
A
Germline mutation
B
Somatic mutation
C
Silent (synonymous) mutation
D
Frameshift mutation
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the difference between somatic and germline mutations: Somatic mutations occur in body cells and are not passed to offspring, while germline mutations occur in gametes (sperm or egg cells) and can be inherited.
Recognize that silent (synonymous) mutations refer to changes in DNA that do not alter the amino acid sequence of a protein, but this does not specify whether they occur in gametes or somatic cells.
Know that frameshift mutations are a type of mutation caused by insertions or deletions that shift the reading frame, but this describes the mutation's effect rather than its location or inheritance pattern.
Identify that the question asks specifically for the mutation type that occurs only in gametes and can be passed to offspring, which matches the definition of a germline mutation.
Conclude that germline mutations are the only mutations that occur in gametes and can be inherited by the next generation.
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