The complete loss of either a guanine or adenine from DNA is an example of ________.
A) Depurination
B) Tautomeric shifts
C) Deamination
D) Demethylation

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Depurination is the spontaneous loss of a purine base, which includes adenine and guanine, from the DNA molecule. This results in an apurinic site or an abasic site, which can cause mutations or DNA damage if not repaired. Tautomeric shifts involve the temporary change in the arrangement of atoms in a DNA base, but do not result in a loss of a base. Deamination is the removal of an amine group from a DNA base, whereas demethylation involves the removal of a methyl group from a DNA base.

The Complete Loss of Either a Guanine or Adenine from DNA