Question

Even though we have over 3 billion base pairs in our DNA, when our cells make a copy, we end up with only a small number of mutations. What explains that?

Answer 1

The process of copying DNA is extremely accurate. The enzyme responsible for copying DNA, DNA polymerase, has a built-in proofreading system that can detect and correct most errors. Additionally, other enzymes and proteins are involved in the process to ensure that the newly-copied DNA is as accurate as possible. As a result, most mutations that occur during DNA replication are very rare.