Genetics: DNA Mutations

Harmful mutation

- A harmful mutation produces a change that is damaging to an organism. It decreases that chances of survival

What are mutations, and how can they affect proteins?

- Mutations are permanent changes in the DNA sequence of a gene. - Mutations can affect the shape of the protein that is produced. - May lead to new traits

Identify the three ways that mutations affect organisms.

- Mutations may be beneficial, harmful, or neutral to organisms.

Which are examples of harmful mutations? Check all that apply. - one that causes a person to have a light patch of hair color - one that changes a mouse's eye shape but not its eyesight - one that allows a moth to blend into its environment - one that reduces a bean plant's ability to make food - one that increases the plants susceptibility to disease

- one that reduces a bean plant's ability to make food - one that increases the plants susceptibility to disease

Neutral Mutation

A change that is neither useful nor damaging (harmful) to an organism.

Beneficial Mutation

A change that is useful to an organism and increases chances of survival

Population

A group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area

Mutation

Change in the gene that may lead to new traits

A mutation causes a tomato plant to have much fewer, smaller leaves. Plants use their leaves to make food. Which best describes this mutation? - It is harmful because it obviously affects the plant's ability to survive. - It is beneficial because it affects the plant's physical appearance. - It is neutral because it does not obviously affect the plant's ability to survive. - It is neutral because it affects the plant's physical appearance.

It is harmful because it obviously affects the plant's ability to survive.

A person with a bacterial infection is taking amoxicillin, which is an antibiotic. The bacteria that are causing the infection have mutated and fight off the amoxicillin. Which best summarizes this mutation? It is beneficial to the person and harmful to the bacteria. It is harmful to the person and beneficial to the bacteria. It is beneficial to the person and to the bacteria. It is harmful to the person and to the bacteria.

It is harmful to the person and beneficial to the bacteria.

A mutation causes a dog to be born with a tail that is shorter than normal. Which best describes this mutation? - It is harmful because it obviously affects the dog's survival. - It is harmful because it affects the dog's physical appearance. - It is neutral because it does not obviously affect the dog's survival. - It is beneficial because it affects the dog's physical appearance.

It is neutral because it does not obviously affect the dog's survival.

Which best summarizes the effects of mutations on organisms? - Mutations are sometimes helpful, sometimes harmful, and sometimes neutral. - Mutations are usually harmful, sometimes neutral, and never helpful. - Mutations are sometimes neutral, sometimes helpful, and never harmful. - Mutations are always harmful, never helpful, and never neutral.

Mutations are sometimes helpful, sometimes harmful, and sometimes neutral.

Mutations that neither benefit nor harm the organism have ____ effect on the organism's survival. a positive a negative an aggressive a neutral

a neutral

What are the building blocks of proteins? sugars fatty acids amino acids nitrogen bases

amino acids

Identify the effect of the mutation. A mutation that causes a desert snake to have sand-colored scales is ____. neutral harmful beneficial

beneficial

A genetic mutation that causes abnormal cells to rapidly reproduce and divide often leads to ___. lactose intolerance cancer low blood oxygen diabetes.

cancer

A mutation can cause a defect in human hemoglobin. Which would result in this type of mutation? decreased ability to carry oxygen development of cancerous tumors inability to break down sugar development of bacterial infections

decreased ability to carry oxygen

Variation

genetic differences among individuals in a population

Identify the effect of the mutation. A mutation that causes a person to have too much sugar in her blood is ___. neutral harmful beneficial

harmful

Identify the effect of the mutation. A mutation that causes a human to have eleven toes is ____. neutral harmful beneficial

neutral

Which is an example of a beneficial mutation? - one that changes the color of a rabbit, allowing it to hide from predators. - one that results in lighter flower petal colors without changing the plant's ability to reproduce - one that causes a person's body to produce thick mucus that clogs the lungs - one that makes it easier for a corn plant to contract a disease

one that changes the color of a rabbit, allowing it to hide from predators.

Which is an example of a neutral mutation? - one that causes abnormal human skin cells to reproduce and divide rapidly, producing a mole - one that increases the size of a seed pod, allowing the seeds inside to be spread and eventually grow - one that results in smooth plant leaves, while not changing the function of the leaves - one that brightens the feathers of a bird, making it easier for other animals to see it

one that results in smooth plant leaves, while not changing the function of the leaves