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Question
In sexually reproducing organisms, mutations occurring in the______will be transmitted to the offspring.
In sexually reproducing organisms, mutations occurring in the______will be transmitted to the offspring.
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Solution
The correct option is D DNA of germ cells
Mutations are sudden inheritable changes in the genetic material of an organism.
As DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, except for a few viruses, hereditary information of one organism is passed onto its progeny during reproduction via DNA.
Thus, DNA is responsible for the transfer of genetic information from one generation to the other.
For mutations to successfully cause evolution in sexually reproducing organisms, it is essential that they occur in the DNA of germ cells of the organism. This is because germ cells undergo meiotic division to form the gametes or sex cells.
As the gametes of both the parents fuse to form a zygote that will develop into an entire organism, the mutations carried by these gametes are transferred to the offspring. Thus, mutations in germline DNA are heritable and can contribute to evolutionary success. Offspring which receive such mutations show distinct variation from their parents due to their mutated genetic material and can be considered as members of a new species.
On the other hand, any mutation occurring in the genetic material (DNA) of somatic cells does not get transferred to the progeny as these cells do not take part in the process of sexual reproduction. This shows that somatic mutations have no contribution in the process of evolution of sexually reproducing organisms.
Mutations are sudden inheritable changes in the genetic material of an organism.
As DNA is the genetic material in all living organisms, except for a few viruses, hereditary information of one organism is passed onto its progeny during reproduction via DNA.
Thus, DNA is responsible for the transfer of genetic information from one generation to the other.
For mutations to successfully cause evolution in sexually reproducing organisms, it is essential that they occur in the DNA of germ cells of the organism. This is because germ cells undergo meiotic division to form the gametes or sex cells.
As the gametes of both the parents fuse to form a zygote that will develop into an entire organism, the mutations carried by these gametes are transferred to the offspring. Thus, mutations in germline DNA are heritable and can contribute to evolutionary success. Offspring which receive such mutations show distinct variation from their parents due to their mutated genetic material and can be considered as members of a new species.
On the other hand, any mutation occurring in the genetic material (DNA) of somatic cells does not get transferred to the progeny as these cells do not take part in the process of sexual reproduction. This shows that somatic mutations have no contribution in the process of evolution of sexually reproducing organisms.
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