Mutation rates of human genes are usually expressed as the number of
A) nucleotides altered per gene.
B) frameshift mutations per genome.
C) mutated alleles per genome.
D) mutant births per generation.
E) mutated alleles per generation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mutation rates of human genes are usually expressed as the number of mutated alleles per generation. This is because mutations can occur in any one of the two copies of each gene present in an individual's genome, and the number of mutated alleles in the population can increase over successive generations. Option A is incorrect because it only considers the number of nucleotides that are altered, without taking into account the impact of these alterations on the function of the gene. Option B is incorrect because it measures the number of frameshift mutations in the entire genome, which may not necessarily be reflective of the mutation rate of individual genes. Option C is similar to the correct answer, but is less precise as it does not specify that the mutations are in fact found in the germ cells that are passed on to the next generation. Option D is not a commonly-used measure of mutation rates in genetics.

Mutation Rates of Human Genes Are Usually Expressed as the Number