Question

With the exception of gametes, all new somatic cells in all multicellular organisms are formed through the process of mitosis. What must occur with the DNA in the original cells in order for mitosis to make new cells?

A) the DNA coils up and becomes invisible
B) the DNA forces the production of water
C) the DNA will mutate itself, based on the type of organism it is
D) the DNA must replicate itself in order to make two exact copies

Answer 1

D. Mitosis is a process that makes identical cells to the parent cell, meaning the daughter cells will each have the same amount of DNA as the parent cell. For that to happen, the original cell must replicate its DNA to allow each new cell to get a full set of DNA

Answer 2

Correct answer is D: the DNA must replicate itself in order to make two exact copies.

Step-by-step explanation:

With the mitosis process, two daughter-cells (with exactly the same DNA) are obtained from a parent cell. So, before the parent-cell divides in two parts, DNA must replicate (synthesize a copy) and then make sure that each daughter cell has one DNA copy.

If this replication step did not occur, then daughter cells would have a half of the original DNA content.