For mutations that enter a population of a diploid organism, which type of mutation is most likely to be affected by natural selection when it first appears?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Nonsynonymous dominant mutations are more likely to be affected by natural selection when they first appear because they immediately change the phenotype of the organism and can have potentially harmful effects. Synonymous mutations are unlikely to be affected because they do not change the amino acid sequence of the protein. Nonsynonymous recessive mutations may not be immediately affected by natural selection because they only affect the phenotype when two copies are present, and the mutant allele may not be expressed in a heterozygote.

For Mutations That Enter a Population of a Diploid Organism