You have analyzed a large set of human cancer-critical genes for a selected group of carcinomas, classifying each of the genes based on whether they are known to undergo somatic or germ-line mutations, as well as based on whether they are dominant or recessive. You then group them and plot the statistics in the following histograms. Which group (a or b) do you think represents somatic, as compared to germ-line, mutations? Which group (1 or 2) do you think represents dominant, as compared to recessive, mutations? (Note that the sum of percentages of somatic and germ-line mutations is more than 100%, since some genes are mutated in both somatic and germ cells).

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Most cancers arise from dominant somatic mutations in cancer genes; however, most germ-line mutations are recessive, which enables them to be carried through generations.

You Have Analyzed a Large Set of Human Cancer-Critical Genes