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Imagine a very complicated piece of machinery, such as a computer, and imagine that you alter the internal circuitry purely at random; will the machine be likely to work better? The machine is intricately and meticulously designed to do what it does; almost any change you make would almost certainly interfere with that functioning. Biochemistry is quite similar. It has evolved over billions of years, it is enormously complex and intricate, and every aspect of it is interconnected with every other aspect in many different ways. A random change is very likely to make it worse. To put it another way, for every functional DNA arrangement, there are endless quadrillions of nonfunctional arrangements. Choosing one at random is like buying a lottery ticket; chances are your ticket is not going to win (sorry, folks).

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14y ago

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Where do most mutations occur, and are they primarily random in nature?

Most mutations occur in the DNA of an organism, specifically in the genes. Mutations are primarily random in nature, meaning they can happen spontaneously and are not typically influenced by external factors.


Why do mutations that occur in the skin or nervous system tend to have little effect on the evolution of a species?

Most mutations that occur have a neutral effect, or none at all, so they would not affect evolution. Organisms with mutations that cause detrimental impact typically will not survive; therefore, they will not reproduce, and the mutation will not be passed on, so the species will not be affected overall. Beneficial mutations are typically the only mutations that will affect an organism's posterity and the evolution of its species, but good mutations are very rare. This is why most mutations have little effect on the evolution of a species.


Which mutation is the most dangerous?

There is no definite answer to this question many types of mutations can cause death and I'd say that's the most dangerous effect of a mutation. Large Scale mutations, like deletions or amplifications, usually cause the most damage because they effect whole chromosomes. Small Scale mutations are usually less dangerous because they only effect one gene. The worst small scale mutations are insertions and deletions because they change the reading frame. In my personal opinion, harmful mutations that occur in the tumor suppressor genes are the most dangerous because they are what prevent the mutations in cell from being duplicated and without them working a mutated cell can replicate uncontrollably.


Are all mutations passed on to your children?

No, not all mutations are passed on to children. Mutations can occur in the DNA of reproductive cells (eggs and sperm) and if they are present in those cells, they can be passed on to the next generation. However, most mutations occur in non-reproductive cells and are not passed on to offspring.


Do most mutations occur when DNA is being replicated?

yes


What kinds of traits are produced by most mutations?

hair color


Are most of the fruits and vegetables you get at a supermarket the product of accidental mutations?

Every life form is probably the product of accidental mutations! Nowadays mutations are not necessarily accidental--they are called genetically modified organisms (GMOs).


What is the most likely effect of an error during DNA translation?

The most likely effect of an error during DNA translation is a mutation. Some mutations are beneficial, some are deadly and some are what is called "nonsense" mutations. Nonsense mutations have no benefits nor do they have any "bad" consequences.


Why aren't somatic mutations passed on to the next generation?

Somatic mutations occur in non-reproductive cells and are not passed on to offspring because they do not affect the germline cells (sperm and eggs) that give rise to the next generation. Only mutations in the germline cells can be inherited by offspring.


Are all mutations bad.?

No not all mutations are bad there are good mutations and bad mutations


Why all mutation are not necessarily harmful?

Mutations are changes in DNA. Most are neutral or beneficial. Mutations have allowed animals to adapt to new environments and new species to evolve.


Why are most mutations not passed on to offspring?

They are only passed on if they are in the reproductive system cells.