Which of the following conditions is necessary for a mutation to play a role in the process of evolution?
A) Having a dominant mutation
B) Formation by the effect of X-rays
C) Having a recessive mutation
D) Occurrence in body cells
E) Occurrence in germ cells
IMAT 2023 · Question 18
Q18 - Mutations and the genetic basis of evolution
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The correct answer is E) Occurrence in germ cells.
For a mutation to matter for evolution, it has to be passed to the next generation, and only mutations in germ cells (the cells that make eggs and sperm) are inherited.
A mutation in a skin or liver cell disappears when the individual dies. Whether the mutation is dominant or recessive, or what caused it, doesn't decide whether it's inherited.
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