Mutations are
A) heritable changes in the sequence of DNA bases that produce an observable phenotype.
B) heritable changes in the sequence of DNA bases.
C) mistakes in the incorporation of amino acids into proteins.
D) heritable changes in the mRNA of an organism.
E) None of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Mutations are heritable changes in the sequence of DNA bases. While mutations may or may not produce an observable phenotype, the key defining characteristic of a mutation is that it is a change in the DNA sequence. Mistakes in the incorporation of amino acids into proteins are not considered mutations, but rather errors in protein synthesis. Mutations can eventually result in changes to mRNA, but the initial change occurs in the DNA sequence.

Mutations Are