mutations

Question 1

what are mutations?

Answer 1

• permanent structural alternation in DNA

Question 2

what are somatic mutations?

Answer 2

• a change that occurs in body cells other than egg or sperm

- cannot be passed to offspring

Question 3

what are germline mutations?

Answer 3

• change in the egg or sperm

- can be passed

Question 4

what is the location of mutations?

Answer 4

determines if it passed on or not

• somatic = body cells affected > not inherited
• germline = gametes affected > can be inherited

Question 5

what factors affect the outcome of a mutation?

Answer 5

• type of cell (somatic or germline)
• type of mutation (substitution, insertion)
• exert of the mutation (point, non-disjunction)
• area of gene affected (coding or non-coding)

Question 6

describe harmful mutations and what are some examples?

Answer 6

may reduce survival capacity

• down syndrome
• cancer
• cystic fibrosis
• sickle cell anaemia

Question 7

describe neutral mutations and what are some examples?

Answer 7

have no observable effect on the organism

• heterochromia = different colored eyes in the same person
• free ear love attachment

Question 8

describe beneficial mutations and what are some examples?

Answer 8

helpful to an organism’s survival

• tolerance to high cholesterol
• lack of wisdom teeth trait
• HIV resistant
• sickle cell trait

Question 9

what is a mutagen?

Answer 9

anything that causes a mutation

• physical = heat
• chemical
• pathogens = viruses
• radiation

Question 10

what effect do mutations have on genetic variation?

Answer 10

• increase variation

- introduce new alleles to the population

Question 11

what are induced mutations?

Answer 11

occur due to environmental factors

Question 12

what are spontaneous mutations?

Answer 12

a result of errors during DNA repair or replication

Question 13

what are the 3 types of mutations?

Answer 13

• gene/point
• chromosome/ point
• non-disjunction