Lethal mutations can be maintained in diploid organisms if they are

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Lethal mutations can be maintained in diploid organisms if they are recessive. In this case, individuals carrying one copy of the mutation are phenotypically normal, but they can pass on the mutation to their offspring who may also inherit a mutated copy from their other parent to become homozygous for the lethal mutation. This phenomenon is known as recessive inheritance and is responsible for many genetic disorders in humans and other organisms. Dominant lethal mutations are typically not maintained in a population as they result in a lethal phenotype in both heterozygous and homozygous individuals, and so the mutation cannot be passed on to the next generation. Deletions can result in the loss of important genetic information, but they are not necessarily lethal mutations.

Lethal Mutations Can Be Maintained in Diploid Organisms If They