Mutations

Question 1

What can Mutations be?

Answer 1

• Harmful
• Beneficial
• Neutral

Question 2

Define ‘Mutation’

Answer 2

• Change to an organism’s DNA base sequence

Question 3

What can a mutation do?

Answer 3

• Affect the sequence of amino acids in the protein which could then affect the shape of the protein and so its function

Question 4

How can mutations affect an organism?

Answer 4

• As the characteristics of an organism can be affected

Question 5

Describe how a mutation can be Harmful

Answer 5

• A mutation could cause a genetic disorder, such as cystic fibrosis

Question 6

Describe how a mutation can be Beneficial

Answer 6

• A mutation could produce a new characteristic that is beneficial to the organism
• E.g. a mutation in genes on bacterial plasmid’s can make them resistant to antibiotics

Question 7

Then, describe how a mutation can be Neutral

Answer 7

• Some mutations are neither harmful neither beneficial

- E.g they don’t affect a protein’s function