Sometimes DNA polymerase makes a mistake, and the wrong nucleotide is added to the growing DNA strand. With regard to pyrimidines and purines, two general types of mistakes are possible. The addition of an incorrect pyrimidine instead of the correct pyrimidine (e. g. adding cytosine where thymine should be added) is called a transition. If a pyrimidine is incorrectly added to the growing strand instead of purine (e.g. adding cytosine when an adenine should be added), this type of mistake is called a transversion. If a transition or transversion is not detected by DNA polymerase, a mutation is created the permanently changes the DNA sequence. Though both types of mutations are rare, transition mutations are more frequent than transversion mutations. What are at least three explanations as to why this is the case?

Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)
11th Edition
ISBN:9780134580999
Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Publisher:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. Hoehn
Chapter1: The Human Body: An Orientation
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Sometimes DNA polymerase makes a mistake, and the wrong nucleotide is added to the growing DNA strand. With
regard to pyrimidines and purines, two general types of mistakes are possible. The addition of an incorrect
pyrimidine instead of the correct pyrimidine (e. g. adding cytosine where thymine should be added) is called a
transition. If a pyrimidine is incorrectly added to the growing strand instead of purine (e.g. adding cytosine when an
adenine should be added), this type of mistake is called a transversion. If a transition or transversion is not detected by DNA polymerase, a mutation is created the permanently changes the DNA sequence. Though both types of mutations are rare, transition mutations are more frequent than transversion mutations. What are at least three explanations as to why this is the case?
 
 
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