Concept explainers
The reason spontaneous mutations do not have an immediate effect on allele frequencies in a large population is that:
a. mutations are random events, and mutations may be eitherbeneficial or harmful.
b. mutations usually occur in males and have little effect oneggs.
c. many mutations exert their effects after an organism hasstopped reproducing.
d. mutations are so rare that mutated alleles are greatlyoutnumbered by nonmutated alleles.
e. most mutations do not change the amino acid sequence of aprotein.

Introduction:
Mutations are the changes that occur at the gene level, which includes the insertion, substitution, and replacement of one of the nucleotides in the DNA sequences. These changes are heritable if it occurs in germ cells. Mutations can be deleterious, lethal and neutral, based upon their effects on the gene pool.
Answer to Problem 1TYK
Correct answer:
Mutations are so rare that mutated alleles are greatly outnumbered by nonmutated alleles.
Explanation of Solution
Justification/ Explanation for the correct answer:
Option (d) states that mutations are so rare that mutated alleles are greatly outnumbered by nonmutilated alleles. New mutations are not that frequent and show no or minimal effect on the allelic frequency in large populations. Mutation happens very rarely, one in millions of the gametes. This results in the outnumbering of the mutated alleles by the nonmutated alleles. Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.
Explanation for the incorrect answers:
Option (a) states that mutations are random events which may be either beneficial or harmful. Mutations occur spontaneously, and most of the mutations are not beneficial while there are some mutations which show neutral effects. Mutation can also be beneficial, which are called advantageous mutations. But these events can effect the allele frequency. So, it is an incorrect option.
Option (b) states that mutation usually occurs in male and have little effect on eggs. The mutation occurs in the germ cells of both male and female organisms. It can be lethal, as well as, neutral mutation and can also affect the allele frequency. So, it is an incorrect option.
Option (c) states that many mutations exert their effects after the organism has stopped reproducing. The mutations are heritable and can be passed on to the next generation through reproduction. If the organism stops reproducing, the mutated allele will increase and can affect the allele frequency. So, it is an incorrect option.
Option (e) states that most mutation does not change the amino acid sequence of a protein. The mutations in the third nucleotide codon of an amino acid do not change the protein expression. These mutations show fewer effects on the allele frequency. This is not the reason for the immediate effect on allele frequencies. So, it is an incorrect option.
Hence, options (a), (b), (c), and (e) are incorrect.
It can be concluded that mutations can be spontaneous and occur rarely. These mutations do not affect the allele frequencies of a large group of the population, under as the nonmutated alleles are large in number in comparison to mutated alleles.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 21 Solutions
Biology: The Dynamic Science
- 4.arrow_forward2arrow_forward1. 2. 3. Marine fish cells are hypotonic compared to their seawater environment; their cells lose water by osmosis and gain solutes. If you add heterotrophic respiration and autotrophic respiration together and then subtract that value from gross primary productivity, then you have a more refined estimate of ecosystem carbon storage than NEE. Differential heating due to the earth's tilt generates the global wind AND oceanic circulation patternsarrow_forward
- KD 200- 116- 66- Vec ATF6 (670) ATF6 (402) ATF6 (373) ATF6 (366) I I 45- 1 2 3 4 5 ATFG (360) (e/c) 9V ATFG (402) g ant- ATF anti-KDEL DAPI barrow_forwardWestern blot results: what information can you get? Presence of proteins of your interest Levels of protein expression Levels of protein activation (must use activation state-specific antibody) Decreased function of the ATM kinase in aging mice. A C57BL/6 female 6 month Con IR 20 month C57BL/6 male 6 month 28 month Con IR Con IR Con IR p-ATM (S1981) ATM P-p53 (ser18) Actinarrow_forwardDoes it show the level of proteins? What about the amount? Levels of protein activation? How can you tell? Does the thickness tell you anything? What about the number of the lines?arrow_forward
- Human Heredity: Principles and Issues (MindTap Co...BiologyISBN:9781305251052Author:Michael CummingsPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305389892Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage LearningConcepts of BiologyBiologyISBN:9781938168116Author:Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James WisePublisher:OpenStax College
- Biology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781337392938Author:Eldra Solomon, Charles Martin, Diana W. Martin, Linda R. BergPublisher:Cengage Learning




